We are very lucky to have gained two new members to our Medical Car Service Team. This new structure enables us to more efficiently process your requests for transport and ensures cover for when people need time off for holidays or illness etc. Chris Clinch continues in his role, logging all the requests onto our electronic diary system and Sara and Natasha now operate the phones and liaise between clients and drivers to allocate and fulfil each request. We would like to introduce them to you:

Natasha moved from Middlesex to Heathfield with her husband about 15 years ago. They have two children and two rather crazy rescue dogs. Natasha’s family are the main focus in her life and she loves spending as much time as possible with them. However, when time allows she really enjoys going to the gym and generally keeping fit. More recently Natasha worked at a pre-school dealing with the accounts, however with one of her children at school in Ringmer and the other in Burgess Hill her current job title should probably be taxi driver!

Natasha felt she wanted to spend whatever spare time she had left doing something worthwhile within the local community. She met Bill Philps (Age Concern Chairman) a couple of years ago and with his usual charm and persuasion, coupled with the fact that the role could be fitted in around other family commitments, she agreed and was excited to help.

Sara is 24 years old and married.  She has have lived in the area most of her life having moved to live with her grandparents locally when she was 11 years old. In her spare time she enjoys reading as well as baking. She previously volunteered to help to organise the Age Concern minibuses alongside her grandfather, Clarence Pont, who has since retired.

Sara will be a familiar face and voice to many of you as she helped for several years sorting out requests for transport for outings and helping to organise the day to day running of the minibuses.  Once her grandfather decided to retire, Sara also decided to take a break and give herself time to decide what to do next. However Sara didn’t escape for long – she is now back and thoroughly enjoying being involved with the Age Concern Medical Car service.

Today we had a V.I.P (Very Important Passenger) on our regular Thursday Heathfield Shopping Bus – Huw Merriman MP, together with his PA, Frances, and work experience student, Ethan.
Huw recently visited us in March to hand over the keys of our brand new, government funded minibus, and promised us he would be back – he didn’t disappoint us!
Huw is a keen supporter of our organisation, and was delighted to learn more about the services we provide to the older members of our community, and enjoyed talking to the passengers as he accompanied them on their weekly trip to the local shops. Huw also proved to be a dab hand with the trolleys!
We shall look forward to seeing Huw again soon when he hopes to attend one of the Country Lunches at Punnetts Town Village Hall – who knows, we may even persuade him to wear an apron!