Generosity puts new shuttle on road

St John volunteer Sue Wedgwood in the new health shuttle. Photo / Stephen Parker

A brand new ambulance is on the roads to help Rotorua's vulnerable and carless patients get to their appointments.

The St John health shuttle takes people from across the city to all outpatient medical appointments from dentists to physios, hospital to medical centres. It is run by volunteers and relies on donations.

The new shuttle cost $110,000 and was funded mostly through the Geyser Foundation Allan and Jan Sewell Family Fund. They gave $75,000 for the new shuttle, while shuttle regular Iris Heaford donated $10,000.

Rotorua St John committee chairman Ross Burns said they would not have been able to put the vehicle on the road had it not been for the donations. The ambulance is funded by the community it serves.

"If it hadn't been for the Sewell fund we wouldn't have been able to replace our old shuttle," Mr Burns said.

He said the shuttle, which has been operating for 13 years, was an important service in the city, particularly for those who couldn't afford transport to get to appointments. Some people had resorted to calling an ambulance for non-emergency medical appointments, he said, but they could use the health shuttle for the cost of a donation.

"One lady gave us a dollar, because that's all she could afford, and that's okay," said administrator Marie Scott. "If we didn't have the shuttle there would be a lot of people who wouldn't get to their outpatient appointments."

She said it also offered peace of mind to people who had elderly family members in the city, but no transport of their own.

Anyone can book the shuttle by calling (07) 349 4658 and giving between 24 and 48 hours' notice. The shuttle runs from 8.30am to 3.30pm Monday to Friday and is manned by volunteers.