Veterans' Foundation Funding - supporting integration back into the community

Fares4Free pride themselves on supporting veterans and their family members. For the last few months, the Fares4Free Outreach Support Drivers and Volunteers have established a friendly yet professional rapport with Kat and her husband Mick, which has given them the trust and belief in the Fares4Free team. Kat served with the Queen Alexandra’s Royal Army Nursing Corps so it is a real privilege to be able to help her.

Kat enquired about our person-centred bespoke service, as statutory and public transport were no longer suitable due to her personal requirements, which had seen a build up of missed appointments. Colleen McBride, Engagement Support Officer at Fares4Free spent time with Kat understanding fully her specific needs, whilst helping to reduce anxiety by case managing Kat's worries and concerns.  Heightened anxiety is common in many of the Veterans that we support and an area that we pride ourselves in reducing.  Through careful planning, regular contact and feedback, Colleen has ensured that Kat can attend not only important medical appointments, but also supports Kat with other essential therapeutic requests from her therapy team including a recent visit to the Five Sisters Zoo in Livingstone. This is empowering Kat and helping with her integration back into the local community.

Due to the vital funding that Fares4Free receive from The Veterans Foundation we are able to support Kat and Mick to these important medical appointments every month using our wheelchair accessible vehicle.  This allows Kat to travel in comfort whilst remaining seated in her wheelchair, safely and securely, which helps lower Kat's stress and anxiety levels. 

When Kat was asked to provide feedback on her experience's of the Fares4Free team she had the following to say,

“Fares4Free is an absolute godsend to myself and my husband. It is helping me to gain confidence to go out to my appointments. The drivers are compassionate regarding my illness and respectful in all aspects of their work. Colleen is a fantastic person and always provides us with the most appropriate vehicle to match my needs. A wonderful team.”

Leon Fisher, the Fares4Free Operations Manager commented,

"The Veterans Foundation have been a rock of support to Fares4Free and without their vital backing we would not be able to deliver anywhere near the quantity of support we pride ourselves on delivering.  We are currently working with The Veterans Foundation to help target minority groups who are underrepresented within our communities."

If you need support from Fares4Free, please contact us on 0141 266 6000, Monday to Friday, 0900 – 1700.