Nuneaton and Bedworth volunteer services under threat...

[dutchman]

Volunteer transport services in Warwickshire which help elderly and disabled people get out and about could be forced to close because of funding cuts.



The Medi-Car and Supported Shopping services based in Nuneaton and Bedworth face massive funding cuts as Warwickshire County Council looks to chop £150,000 of its community transport funding in April.

Those behind the volunteer services are now urging their supporters to lobby the council to save them.

Medi-Car, set up in 1987, is run by the Volunteer Centre in School Road, Bulkington, and currently receives £5,000 a year from the council.

It helps elderly, frail and disabled people in the borough who find public transport inaccessible, have no family or carers to help them or cannot afford high taxi fares.

It is run entirely by volunteers who use their own vehicles to get people to medical appointments around Coventry and Warwickshire at a reasonable cost.

The supported shopping service uses a minibus to help elderly and disabled people get to the shops.

Both services could be hit heavily by the funding cuts, which are due to be announced at a full council meeting next month.