Banbury lifeline looks for sponsorship

Banbury's Citizens Advice Volunteer Driver Service is seeking sponsorship to ensure the community service remains accessible and affordable.
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Volunteer Driver Service (VDS) North Oxfordshire is a Citizens Advice community transport service established in April 2012.

VDS plays a vital role in combating loneliness and isolation, supporting social inclusion, and helping people remain independent. Volunteer drivers use their own cars to help Cherwell residents get to medical and social appointments where there is no reasonable travel alternative.

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The need for this service is ever growing, and over the next year, VDS expects to complete in excess of 3,000 journeys totalling 70,000 miles.

Quizpacks are a sponsorQuizpacks are a sponsor
Quizpacks are a sponsor

VDS drivers give their time for free, but passengers pay them 45p per mile to cover the vehicle running costs. Cherwell District Council provides funding for this service. This funding is under threat and could end by April 2022.

VDS hopes to avoid passing the running cost of the service onto the passengers.

Banbury businesses can increase their visibility and support their community by sponsoring one or more of the volunteer cars, some of which cover 10,000 miles per year.

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The volunteer vehicles use a magnetic VDS livery whilst taking passengers to medical appointments, care homes, and social groups in the Cherwell area and Oxford on a daily basis.

Barking Mad BanburyBarking Mad Banbury
Barking Mad Banbury

Sponsors can add their logo beside the VDS logo to directly link their business to the goodwill of this community service. Sponsorship packages vary in price depending on mileage and visibility.

Prices begin at £100 for low mileage vehicles, to £2,000 for a vehicle running at 10,000 miles a year.

Current sponsors include Andrea Cawley of Barking Mad Banbury, who said: "We're so thrilled to now be a part of the wonderful Volunteer Driver Service.

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"As well as helping people get out and about in their local community, we get our Barking Mad Banbury Home Dog Boarding message out there year-round and for a fraction of normal advertising costs. It's a win-win-win."

Keith Davies of Quizpacks, added: "I can get my company logo on a vehicle travelling across Cherwell for just £100 per year. Quizpacks is by no means a large business, but we are a local one and this helps give Quizpacks a real presence in our community."

By becoming a sponsor, businesses will help ensure that VDS remains accessible and affordable to our community.

For more information call 0300 3030 125 or email [email protected].

Form more information about Citizens Advice programs read: Banbury’s Citizens Advice social programs need your input.

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