The charity has been supporting older and disabled local people for over 40 years and last year alone completed over 23,000 trips – an increase of over 11% on the previous year.
Manager, Steve Marsh, said “We provide reliable, accessible transport for members’ everyday needs. Whether it’s a trip to the shops, visiting friends, attending appointments, or enjoying leisure activities, we are here to help people get there safely and comfortably.”
“Our service is in great demand and if it wasn’t for our fantastic volunteers, we would be able to help only a small fraction of the number of people we do. We desperately need more volunteers, as we are having to turn away customers who need us.”
As well as the local journeys, which are completed in the distinctive minibuses, Dial a Ride uses its fleet of electric and wheelchair-accessible cars to offer a longer-distance service, transporting people to appointments in Bridlington, Malton, York, Hull, Leeds and Middlesborough.This service has seen a year-on-year increase in demand, with 549 journeys completed in 2024, up 29% on the previous year.
Colin Woodhead – a long-standing volunteer driver, passenger assistant and Trustee at the Charity said “We know that our volunteers make a genuine difference to people’s lives. By offering their time, volunteers help those who need it most to stay independent, active, and connected to their community. From a personal point of view, I get so much satisfaction from my volunteering, and I would strongly encourage others to give it a try.”
Colin said “Our volunteers come from a range of backgrounds, but all have compassion and a desire to help others. The time commitment varies from just half a day each fortnight, to several days per week. Volunteers get involved by driving our cars and/or minibuses, helping as passenger assistants, or in a new role, helping the office team by answering the phones and assisting with bookings.”
Anyone interested in volunteering at Dial a Ride can find out more by visiting the website at www.scarboroughdialaride.org/volunteering or by calling the team on (01723) 354434 between 8.30am and 5pm, Monday-Friday.
Steve said “We would be absolutely delighted to hear from anyone who is interested in joining our fabulous team. Please just get in touch for an initial chat and we’ll take it from there.”