Warwickshire 4x4 drivers group which helps NHS is recognised in national volunteer awards

A Warwickshire group of volunteer drivers has been recognised in a charity’s national awards.

The Warwickshire 4x4 Volunteers, nominated in the recent Helpforce Awards, first started to help Warwick Hospital in the transportation of the essential personnel in times of adverse weather conditions such as snow and floods but later helped with the distribution of PPE, supplies and equipment during the Covid 19 pandemic.

The group was highly commended in the Volunteering Collaboration of the Year (Partnership) category for its work with South Warwickshire University NHS Foundation Trust.

Group founder Graeme Wright said: “Being nominated for a Helpforce Award was a credit to all the hard work put in by the volunteer members of our group.

"We were invited to presentation dinner in London and we were ably represented by Edith Welman and Stephanie Rees.

"We are all very proud of the effort put in by our volunteers, helping towards making Warwick Hospital an even better Hospital.”

The work of the Warwickshire 4x4 volunteers has now progressed into the movement of supplies, drugs, swabs and blood samples between hospitals, including assisting the community nursing team by transporting blood samples back to the hospital labs for a faster analysis.

Members now deliver medication out to discharged patients, thus allowing their early discharge from hospital.

This has since progressed further to the group attending patients homes to move or rearrange furniture to allow downstairs living or to facilitate the delivery of a hospital bed.

The group can respond quickly to these requests, again allowing an early release from hospital for many patients.

Fine weather work has become the majority of the group’s activities and owning a 4x4 vehicle is not essential for this type of volunteering.

Graeme said: “We do appeal to anyone in the area who would like to support our local NHS, by joining us a helping to complete the work.

" A mileage allowance can be claimed and we do not expect anyone to meet fuel costs.”

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