
About our Service
Trowbridge Area Community Link Scheme is a volunteer-led service for people who live in the Trowbridge area of Wiltshire. Our service offers door-to-door transportation to medical appointments and other essential trips, for people who cannot access public or private transport. We also offer a ‘good neighbour’ service and can help with tasks like shopping.
How does Link work?
The majority of the work carried out by our volunteers is taking people to medical appointments. Knowing that a Link driver will collect them from their home, take them to the appointment and be there when it is time to go back home again can be very reassuring for someone who is elderly, nervous or frail.
Other activities include:
- Taking clients to health-related groups.
- Doing shopping for those who are housebound.
- Assisting those who wish to do their own shopping but need someone to accompany them because of mobility or other health problems.
The volunteer driver uses their own vehicle for these journeys and a mileage allowance is paid to help towards the cost of the fuel used.
Our Community Minibus provides transport to enable clients to attend a variety of day centres, local clubs and groups.
Statistics show that the number of older people is increasing nationwide, so services such as those provided by the Link Scheme are in great demand.
Call: 07969 347042
Monday to Friday 9.30am – 4.30pm
If you need help, please call us on the telephone number above. This is a mobile number so please dial all the digits.
The phone line is available from 9.30am to 4.30pm Monday to Friday (except Bank Holidays). At all other times, or if our Coordinator is busy with another call, please leave a message on the answering machine.
Please note, our service is dependent on driver availability and we may need to prioritise medical journeys for the most vulnerable in our community.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Trowbridge Link?
Trowbridge Area Community Link Scheme is a volunteer transport and ‘good neighbour’ service for people in the Trowbridge area who need assistance. If you need transport, please call us on 07969 347042 to speak to the Link Coordinator.
Our telephone line is open between 9.30am – 4.30pm, Monday to Friday (except Bank Holidays).
What areas do you cover?
We cover the areas of Trowbridge, Semington, Great Hinton, Steeple Ashton, Hilperton, Keevil, North Bradley, Southwick and West Ashton in Wiltshire. We take local people to doctors, opticians and dentist appointments, as well as other essential services. We also travel further afield, taking people to hospital appointments in Bristol, Bath and Swindon.
Other Link Schemes
There are approximately 40 Link Schemes across Wiltshire and Swindon. If you live outside the area covered by our service, please visit the Community First Link Schemes and Community Transport Directory to find your local transport service.
Is there a cost to use your service?
There is no set charge for our service, but we do invite clients to make a donation towards the cost of providing the service. Cash donations can be left in the envelope given to you by your driver.
A mileage allowance is paid to our volunteer drivers. We also have telephone and other administrative expenses. We could not continue to operate without the donations that we receive from clients.
How can I book transport?
To arrange transport please call 07969 347042 to speak to the Link Coordinator. You can make a call for yourself or on behalf of someone else, please give as much notice as possible. Please note our telephone line is operational Monday-Friday 9.30am – 4.30pm (except Bank Holidays). At all other times, or if our Coordinator is busy with another call, please leave a message on the answering machine.
Are you looking for volunteers?
Yes! Trowbridge Area Community Link Scheme could not operate without the support of our wonderful volunteer drivers, committee members and coordinators.
To find out more about volunteering with LINK, please visit our volunteering page or make a quick and easy volunteer enquiry. You can also download our volunteering information leaflet.
Is the service only for medical trips?
We can provide transport for medical trips to local doctors’ surgeries, dentists and hospitals. We also travel to hospitals in Bristol, Bath and Swindon. We can offer transport for social visits and activities e.g. to lunch clubs, but may need to prioritise essential medical trips for the most vulnerable depending on volunteer capacity.
Do you offer a minibus service?
Yes, we operate the Trowbridge Link Community Minibus which takes people to day centres, lunch clubs and community groups. Please contact 07474 111660 for more information.
Can anyone in your area use the service?
Trowbridge Link provides a ‘good neighbour’ service to elderly, infirm and frail people in our local communities. Each transport request will be considered by the Link Coordinator. It is often necessary for the Coordinator to prioritise requests, normally journeys for medical appointments are given priority and any request accepted is subject to volunteer availability.
We can provide assistance to people who are fully mobile (including those who use a wheeled walker, crutch/walking stick or Zimmerframe). We recommend that clients who use a wheelchair contact the Non-Emergency Patient Transport Service which has specially adapted vehicles for wheelchairs. New clients are asked if they use wheelchairs or mobility aids when they first apply to use the Link scheme and this is recorded on our database.
We cannot provide transport for children.
Patients with a cognitive impairment may require a chaperone.
