Big thank you for town's health-shuttle volunteers

Dannevirke St John health shuttle volunteers about to board their Daneline bus for their mystery bus tour on Sunday.

A group of 50 dedicated volunteers is the vital lifeline for Dannevirke's St John health shuttle service. Now 10 years on, the service has grown from one vehicle and 15 volunteers to a huge service with four vehicles and 50 volunteers, Don Stewart, the chairman of the Dannevirke area committee, says.

"It's the personal touch of our volunteers which makes our service stand out," Mr Stewart told the Dannevirke News.

Don Stewart, the chairman of Dannevirke's St John area committee, with a $500 cheque from the staff of the Barraud Street Health Centre.

"At 6am when it's cold, wet and rough outside and everyone else is still in bed our volunteers are on the road making sure residents make it to their medical appointments in Palmerston North and Wellington."

And there's no shirking from duty, with volunteers always ready to go back to the hospital at 10pm to pick up patients who've had day surgery.

It's not just hospital appointments the shuttle services, patients can be taken to ear and eye appointments, the dentist and brain trauma specialists.

Volunteers from the Dannevirke St John health shuttle at Church Road Winery in Taradale on Sunday.

"They're a very dedicated bunch, many can do between 10- and 12-hour days regularly and they're happy to do it." Mr Stewart said.

"My biggest fear isn't running out of money, it's keeping volunteers because they've all got other commitments. It's the case of when you want something done, ask busy people."

On Sunday, the volunteers who drive and assist on the St John Dannevirke health shuttle were thanked for their dedication with a mystery bus tour.

Helping to make the day a worthy reward for all their hard work, the trip was sponsored by MCI & Associates and Grant Hurrell of Tararua Funeral Services and Peter and Dianne Harris of Oruawharo at Takapau who treated the volunteers to a free homemade morning tea and a look around the relocated Takapau Catholic Church.

"It was a delightful visit," Frances Edgington, secretary of the St John area committee, said.

"The mystery tour was wonderful and our first stop at Oruawharo, well hidden away in beautiful surroundings in Takapau, was a chance to tour the old homestead which was just 10 days away from demolition when the Harris' took over."

Back on the bus, the volunteers headed for Napier and lunch at the Napier RSA. Then it was back on the bus for a trip to Taradale and Church Road Winery.

The volunteers then went back to the Napier RSA, to watch the cricket world cup final and for a meal in the club's Norfolk Lounge Restaurant.

"It was a great day and it was good to give something back to the volunteers," Frances said.

And while the community was supportive of the service, keeping the vehicles on the road, staff trained and in uniform, funding had to be kept up," Mr Stewart said.

"We're now picking up more passengers for health appointments just around Dannevirke and we're making more trips to Wellington - at least two trips a week now."

As the service grows, Mr Stewart said he had not forgotten where the impetus for it came from.

"In the first instance, it was the women of our local women's institute and they knew exactly what we were up against in setting up," he said.

"They've been supportive all the way through.

"We're also lucky to have the backing of a generous benefactor Gwen Fairbrother, her support of the health shuttle goes right back to the beginning and still carries on today."

And it was particularly appropriate a generous donation was handed over to Mr Stewart on Monday from the staff of the Barraud Street Health Centre, after a fundraising quiz evening.

"This is an amazing 10th birthday present for the shuttle," Mr Stewart said.