A volunteer driver with the NZ Red Cross Community Transport Service, Mrs Stevenson heads out every second Tuesday morning to help her fellow citizens.
She also delivers Meals on Wheels and has found volunteering for both services to be a good feeling.
‘‘I got into it after I retired and was looking for something to do, and it has been a very good experience,’’ she said.
Mrs Stevenson collects people from their homes and drives them to hospital and doctor’s appointments, and often returns them home as well.
‘‘The majority of the people we drive are older, but there are also people of all ages with disabilities, and other issues.
‘‘We have some good chats as we drive along — you meet a lot of characters driving for this service.’’
If there were several people in the van, a conversation often started, providing good social interaction for people.
The Red Cross Community Transport Service is operated by volunteer drivers on weekdays, and carries about 1300 people each year.
The service covers both Dunedin and Mosgiel and although she has lived in Dunedin all of her life, Mrs Stevenson finds driving for the service still regularly takes her to streets she has not visited before.
‘‘I like to do some research when I get the roster, so as to be confident of where I am driving — it would be bit awkward to get lost.’’
Red Cross Community Transport Service co-ordinator Steve King said the service had a pool of about 15 volunteer drivers at present, and it would be good to bring in some more to cover demand.
‘‘Sometimes our drivers get extra paid work during cruise ship season, and it’s good to be able to cover for that,’’ Mr King said.
Volunteer drivers with the service needed to be competent drivers, with a full licence, and needed to pass a police check.
‘‘But most of all, they need to be nonjudgemental and to like spending time with people,’’ he said.
Anyone interested in becoming a Red Cross Community Transport Service driver is asked to phone 477-1527 and ask for Steve King.
