Lutterworth Village Link

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The Volunteer Centre provides an integrated package of transport services for Lutterworth and its rural hinterland. These consist of social cars owned and driven by volunteers, a wheelchair accessible car 'Chairlink', Community minibuses for group travel and trips to supermarkets etc, and 'Village Link', a demand responsive bus service for the rural areas. Governed by a Board of Trustees, all of whom are volunteers and some are users. The Volunteer Centre is a member of Volunteering England (which provides quality accreditation) and of Investors in People.  In addition, minibus drivers are MIDAS trained. The Volunteer Centre is based in a converted warehouse that is home to a number of charitable and volunteer organisations such as CAB, CVS and Community Computer Centre, and provides a 'one-stop shop' for many services.

Provides transport for people with mobility problems, including people with disabilities, rural isolated and those without private transport on an inclusive basis.  Transport is 7 days a week, including evenings, but office is weekdays only. Relatively generous criteria for eligibility, and takes care to refer people who are not eligible to other organisations that can provide transport. Will bend rules on occasion to help people who would otherwise be facing real problems. Good client data base and record of activity, plus a user survey to identify gaps in service. Plans to extend evening and weekend services, particularly for younger people, and long term aspiration to provide Shopmobility in Lutterworth, when the pedestrian infrastructure has been improved sufficiently.

Leicestershire CC sees the Volunteer Centre transport services as a model of good practice to introduce in other areas, and have already shown their operating practices to Nottinghamshire, Rugby and Warwick, and are hoping to develop cooperative cross-border services with Rugby.