Driving Miss Daisy, the revolutionary companion driving service, has arrived in West Norfolk.
The bright blue ‘Driving Miss Daisy’ vehicle is set to become a familiar site around Downham Market, King’s Lynn and Swaffham, while the unique service that the franchise offers, without exaggeration, can change lives.
Vulnerable people, such as those with disabilities or the elderly, who might otherwise become house-bound, can access a service which will help them get out and about again.
Whether the requirement is getting to a doctor’s appointment, going along to a community coffee morning or taking a shopping trip, Driving Miss Daisy can help.
Local franchise owners Melanie and Natalie, are keen to emphasise that they are not competing with traditional taxis.
“While our prices may be broadly similar, Driving Miss Daisy is a very different kind of service.” says Natalie. “If our customers would like us to go around the shops with them, or have a cup of tea and a natter in a café afterwards, then we will. The social aspect is just as important as getting from A to B.”
The Driving Miss Daisy vehicle can accommodate a fold-down wheelchair in the boot, and is designed to make getting in and out as easy as possible for people with mobility issues.
Appointments are never booked back to back, so customers are reassured that they won’t be made to feel rushed. Natalie explains that worries about ‘being too slow’ can be one of the biggest concerns that stop the elderly or people with disabilities accessing traditional taxi services.
“We are happy to go into our customers’ homes and help them to get ready, then help them outside and into the vehicle. This might take two minutes, it might take twenty, and that’s fine.” says Natalie.
It is often relatives and friends, living some distance away from their loved ones, who make the initial introductions. In these cases, knowing that Natalie and Melanie are on-hand to help with practical day-to-day things like getting ‘Mum’ to and from her hospital appointment can be a big comfort.
And as former primary school teachers (Natalie taught at Hilgay Village Primary and Melanie at Shouldham) who are fully licenced and police checked, relatives feel confident and comfortable that their loved-ones are in safe hands.
The service can also be used to get unaccompanied children from A to B, for instance to after-school clubs or helping with the school run, if parents are busy or unwell.
For more information about Driving Miss Daisy:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrivingMissDaisyEastofEngland/
Email: [email protected]
Telephone: 0333 014 6211 (local rate call – someone will take a message and then either Natalie or Melanie will call back when they aren’t driving)
