Mid Argyll Transport Volunteers is a volunteer car scheme that helps people in Mid Argyll who experience difficulty accessing public transport to attend their medical appointments.
"Anybody who has some time available, it doesn’t matter how much or how little, we want to hear from you."
MATV is totally run by volunteers, currently of all ages and backgrounds. Clients come from all areas of Mid Argyll and North Kintyre and we try to ensure that we have volunteer drivers in as many communities as possible – eg Tarbert, Ardfern, Achnamara, Minard, Furnace, Kilmartin to name but a few.
People from all walks of life who have a car and the ability to drive please consider volunteering.
Volunteering options are flexible. People who are pushed for time could combine volunteer journeys to Oban with their own shopping trips. With the school holidays, some volunteers are not available as often as normal, as grandparents help with childcare. From a pool of 23 volunteers, there are 16 drivers who are regularly available. We are always looking for people who can give just an hour a week to help cope with the need for shorter journeys from Lochgilphead and Ardrishaig.
A small committee looks after administration. If anyone is able to assist with committee matters, please get in touch.
Volunteering can be a very worthwhile and rewarding experience. Meet new people and learn new skills – at the same time, give something back to the community. MATV has a range of volunteering opportunities available, not just driving.
Volunteers pick and choose their availability and length/type of journey they are able to offer us. Whether you’re retired, employed, have childcare responsibilities, please get in touch.
MATV pay a mileage allowance in accordance with the current HMRC rate. If you think this is something that you could do please get in touch.
"Many of our clients don’t see people from one week to the next. For some of them, our drivers are the only people they see."
Mid Argyll Transport Volunteers (MATV) takes people from the Mid Argyll area to medical appointments in the local area or to Glasgow, Oban, Campbeltown, and anywhere else required.
Don’t be discouraged if you are a young mum. Most of our service users are of the age group that loves to see babies and hear about what young people are doing.
Chairman – Andrew Milne
From one offs to regular appointments
The charity takes people in Mid Argyll who cannot use public transport to appointments in Oban, Glasgow, and anywhere between or beyond. Drivers provide a lifeline service as some passengers are unable to use public transport due to ill health. In other cases, public transport does not run in conjunction with their appointments
We can help anyone who is unable to access public transport for whatever reason, be it bus times that don’t suit appointment times, or difficulty accessing public transport. Please contact us to discuss what is available.
Door-to-door transport: We understand that it is not easy or possible to get to a public bus stop. Don’t worry though, we will pick you up and drop you off at your door.
We transport clients to Mid Argyll Community Hospital, Oban Hospital and all Major Glasgow Hospitals.
This also includes Optician and Dentist appointments
The charity has 454 clients to date and in an average four weeks, 110 individuals will use the service. For example; 54 runs to Glasgow; 14 to Lorn and Islands Hospital in Oban; 12 to the dentist or opticians either locally or in Tarbert; 24 runs to Mid Argyll Community Hospital and Integrated Care Centre.
A total of 8,000 miles is covered in a four-week period. A few of those clients attend appointments once or twice a week, and some attend daily.
Door to Door Transport Service for Mid Argyll
Volunteer drivers complete upwards of 1,275 journeys in a year. They take some people to attend appointments in the Mid Argyll area and further afield.
Over 400 people contact the Mid Argyll Transport Volunteers for a variety of purposes.
The charity takes people in Mid Argyll who cannot use public transport to appointments in Oban, Glasgow, and anywhere between or beyond.
We transport clients to Mid Argyll Community Hospital, Oban Hospital and all Major Glasgow Hospitals.
This also includes Optician and Dentist appointments
We can help anyone who is unable to access public transport for whatever reason, be it bus times that don’t suit appointment times, or difficulty accessing public transport.
In the late 1980’s, Ardrishaig residents became aware that some elderly and disabled members of the community, who had no car of their own, were finding it difficult to access suitable transport to visit friends and to keep medical appointments.
They set up Mid Argyll Transport Volunteers and started fund-raising and recruiting local drivers who were willing to give of their time and use their own vehicles, receiving in return only a small mileage allowance for petrol and wear and tear to their cars.
30 years later MATV continues to provide a much needed and much appreciated personal service to the local community who are unable to access mainstream services.
This may include people who don’t live near a bus route, or the only bus may not run at a time that allows them to keep their appointment and return on the same day.
MATV are generously supported by the following organisations;
Photos kindly by permission - Aileen Gillies & Fiona Higgins
