Ian and Kathleen have been using the Dial-a-Ride service from Bristol Community Transport (BCT) for the past five years. Ian has dementia and mobility issues so the service helps his wife Kathleen run her errands once a week. If they weren’t using Dial-a-Ride, the couple would either have to take a taxi or rely on a family member to drive them. The couple use Dial-a-Ride to attend doctors’ appointments, the local supermarket and occasionally the shopping centre. ‘It’s helped me a lot. With Ian being in a wheelchair it’s very difficult for me to get anywhere. The minibus comes to the front door and takes you directly,’ explains Kathleen.

Not only is Dial-a-Ride practical for Ian and Kathleen, but the service also enables them to meet with friends, tackling social isolation. ‘It’s something I now look forward to,’ said Kathleen. ‘Not only do I have company on the bus, but once we do our shopping we go to the café and have a coffee and a chat. I don’t know what we’d do without this service. The drivers are wonderful too – so patient and caring.’

Bristol’s Dial-a-Ride service is available for residents five days a week and provides a door-to-door service for those who are unable to access mainstream public transport. As in Kathleen’s case, the service caters for family members who need the service to support them too. ‘Having a community transport service like Dial-a-Ride makes a huge difference for people like Ian and Kathleen who rely on the service for their weekly errands. It’s about making people’s journeys more accessible and worry-free,’ said BCT driver Richard May.