A NEW project aims to make it easier for cancer patients from the Forest to get to medical appointments.

Macmillan Cancer Care is working with community transport providers Lydcare and Lydney Dial-a-Ride on the 12-month project which it is hoped will double the number of volunteer drivers.

Lousie Currie, manager of Lydney Dial-a-Ride, said: “By working with Macmillan, we hope local people who haven’t thought about being a volunteer driver before will consider stepping forward and giving it a go.

“We know that thousands of people in the Forest will have been affected by cancer, either personally or through a loved one.

“If you want to give something back, this is a wonderful way to help people practically.

“The bigger the pool of volunteers we can call on, the greater availability we can give to passengers.

“We look for the closest volunteer to the passenger and if they are not available we look at the pool.”

Macmillan volunteering services manager Piers Cardiff said transport had been highlighted as a major issue by people in the Forest affected by cancer.

He said: “We’ve been out in the Forest asking people what they need and transport was there.

“There is no point in Macmillan setting up their own volunteer sch-eme when there are organisations in the Forest doing that already.

“We’re really excited about supporting Lydcare and Lydney Dial-a-Ride with the great work they already do.

“We know that getting to hospital in Cheltenham and Gloucester for treatment can be a real challenge when you’re suffering with the side effects of cancer treatment.

“We will offer specialist training to help the new volunteer drivers feel confident about supporting people living with cancer.

“It’s about giving what time you have.

“If you have a morning a week you might not be able to go to Cheltenham, but you could help someone get to somewhere more local and that is still great to have,” he said.

“We know cancer will affect one in three people in their lives and survival rates are improving all the time.

“There are currently 2.5 million people in the UK with a cancer diagnosis set to rise to 4 million by 2030,” he added.

“Around 3,500 people a year are being diagnosed with cancer in Gloucestershire.

“Treatments are getting more effective and diagnoses are being made earlier.”

Among those who already volunteer as drivers are Sandra Carter from Drybrook and Chris Hedges from Ruspidge.

Sandra, who drives for Lydcare, said: “It’s not just cancer – we drive for people with other major ailments.

“Lydcare have put us through first aid training. I find that really important, it gives me confidence.

“Last summer we had a client who needed radiotherapy daily for six weeks.

“Three volunteer drivers helped cover these appointments, taking the pressure off the family to cover the journeys.

“Importantly it gave the client peace of mind knowing that they had someone with them, who knew where they were going and were waiting outside to take them home once the treatment had finished.”

Chris, who volunteers with Dial-a-Ride, said: “We’re not a taxi service. I like to think of the service as being ‘armchair to armchair’.

“We don’t just drop you off, we can come into the hospital with you and take you to wherever you need to.

“Then we can either wait with you or come back later to pick you up, just as if you were a member of the family.”

There are currently around 25 drivers between the two organisations and the hope is that the project will double that number.

Lydcare and Dial-a-Ride will also work with other community transport services in the Forest to assist volunteers.

To find out more about becoming a volunteer driver, contact Louise Curry at Lydney Dial-a-Ride on (01594) 843809 or e-mail louise@lydney dialaride.co.uk