Around Ealing February/March 2020 | Page 39

ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE “They even put my seatbelt on,” she adds. “They couldn’t do more for me – I almost expected a cup of tea to arrive!” Why I love driving passengers like Jean Staying sociable When Jean discovered that she could use ECT’s minibus service for personal journeys as well as health appointments, she made a booking to travel to a lunch club hosted by her local church in South Ealing. “The club is for people who don’t get out. It’s nice – I can sit there and chat, and I love meeting new people,” says Jean. “ECT has made me much more independent than before.” Spreading the word Earlier on in life, Jean spent 25 years caring for elderly people, which has made her enthusiastic about encouraging others to use ECT. “I know the loneliness that elderly people can sometimes feel, but this bus gives them an opportunity to leave their homes and socialise,” she says. “I asked a lady if she would like to get involved today, and she said, ‘Oh no, that’s not for me, I’m only 88!’”. But Jean is proud to say that ECT is for her. “Like that lady, at first I thought, ‘Is this for me?’ – but you’ve got to realise that this is a route to independence.” Atif Mughal was working in insurance and looking for a career change when he became interested in becoming a community transport driver. “I wanted a job that was more than just sitting in an office and involved seeing daylight!” he says. Atif has now been working full-time at ECT for three years. His role is to ensure that passengers with varying mobility needs arrive safely at destinations across Ealing – to health appointments, supermarkets or just to meet up with friends for a cup of tea. “For me, the best part of the job is connecting with people,” he says. “They regularly tell me how pleased they are to see me – often, they haven’t been out all week.” ECT is looking for new people to join their team of caring drivers. If a part-time or full-time role sounds like it could be for you, get in touch today! What we do and why it matters “As a local charity, ECT provides safe, accessible and affordable journeys to individuals and groups throughout the borough of Ealing. Often community transport is the only way in which people who are isolated, elderly or have mobility issues can travel independently.” Anna Whitty MBE, Chief Executive of Ealing Community Transport Do you need help getting around? If you think that ECT could help you or someone you know to stay mobile and independent – or if you run a local group that requires transport – we would love to hear from you. Call 020 8813 3210 Email [email protected] Visit www.ectcharity.co.uk