ABF The Soldiers’ Charity is pleased to award Fares4Free a grant of £15,000 to offer specialist transport services, free of charge, to vulnerable veterans and their immediate families.
Fares4Free is a taxi service that offers free transport all over Scotland to veterans and their family members who might otherwise struggle to access essential services, such as medical appointments. These taxi rides are more than just car journeys from A to B. Fares4Free drivers are trained in Mental Health First Aid, meaning they are equipped to offer multiple forms of support to veterans using their services. Drivers listen to their passengers carefully to identify any additional problems they might be facing. They can then point them in the direction of the care and support they need.
In addition to free taxi services, Fares4Free drivers play a vital role in combating social isolation. The friendships they offer mean that veterans are able to take better control of their lives, have a stronger support network and maintain their independence.
The Soldiers’ Charity’s grant will go towards funding an administrator to help with booking taxi services. The team at Fares4Free will then be better able to identify where their services are needed, and have more time to develop relationships with taxi firms and support organisations. This way, Fares4Free can build a bigger network to supply more taxi rides to the veteran community and continue its important work.
Hugh Henderson, Chairman of the Fares4Free Board of Trustees, said: “The grant from ABF The Soldiers’ Charity is a fantastic boost for Fares4Free and will allow us to employ a much-needed administrator. Fares4Free has enjoyed great success since being established in 2016 and the additional funding from The Soldiers’ Charity will enable us to continue to develop the vital services we provide for the veteran community across Scotland.”
Brigadier (Ret’d) Robin Bacon, Chief of Staff at ABF The Soldiers’ Charity, added: “We are pleased to be supporting Fares4Free in its continued efforts to go above and beyond for our veterans. We are proud to be working with the Fares4Free team and assisting their incredible services which I am sure mean a lot to not only the veterans, but also family members who will undoubtedly feel the effects of their support.”