A community transport service which provides more than 40,000 passenger journeys each year is urgently appealing for volunteer drivers in the Waveney area.

The Bact service takes residents to day centres, medical appointments, shopping trips and social meetings with family and friends - providing transport for many passengers who would otherwise struggle to leave their homes.

In the last year, Bact has driven more than 434,000 miles across Waveney and south Norfolk. However the service relies entirely on volunteers to transport passengers, but Bact has a shortage of volunteer drivers in the Waveney area and urgently needs more.

Debbie Blowers, Bact manager, said: “Our fantastic volunteers come from a wide variety of backgrounds; what unites them is the desire to help others.

“We would love to hear from anyone interested in driving for us: we have the passengers and the vehicles – we just need more drivers.

“Many of our volunteers join us after retiring; it provides them with a new purpose in life. If you know someone who might be interested, please tell them about Bact.”

On December 21, staff, volunteers and trustees from Bact spent the day at Morrisons in Beccles as part of its campaign to find new volunteer drivers. More than 250 people stopped to speak to the team throughout the day, and customers kindly donated over £295.

Bact operates two services - a dial a ride door to door service using minibuses and a community car service.

Volunteers either drive their own cars and receive a mileage allowance or drive bact’s vehicles, which are adapted to take wheelchairs and carry those needing more assistance.

A Bact spokesman said: “Some volunteers drive for us every day of the week and others only drive a few hours a month. The arrangement might be on a regular or irregular basis - Bact adapts to suit the volunteers.”

Bact provides training for all volunteers, who also need to complete a DBS check.

To find out more, visit www.bactcommunitytransport.org.uk and fill out the volunteers registration form or call 01986 896896.

Bact will also be hosting a stall at Lowestoft Job Centre on Wednesday, January 31, between 9am and noon where you can meet the team.