snvb employee is given a Rose of the Shires award

The Rose of the Shires awards look to identify, and to express thanks, to those groups or individuals who have worked tirelessly to keep our communities safe, and our businesses moving during the global COVID-19 crisis.

The staff and trustees of snvb are delighted and proud that our Brackley Car service coordinator, Rachel Page, has just been notified that she has received an award.

Although demand for medical transport has been very low, BAVCS has still been able to take vulnerable passengers to their urgent medical appointments which have been mainly in Oxford.

BAVCS were contacted prior to Christmas with requests for transport from passengers who needed their Covid vaccination and these have been covered. The Car Service has also continued with telephone support with the most lonely and vulnerable, particularly over the Christmas break.

Now with National Lockdown 3, the Car Service has reverted back to collecting prescriptions and carrying out ESSENTIAL shopping trips for the most vulnerable if necessary, as well as taking the elderly for their vaccinations.

Rachel has been key, together with her two colleagues, in all of this.

BAVCS have also utilised their volunteer drivers to deliver food boxes from Brackley Community Larder within Brackley and the surrounding villages.

As well as working with Brackley Car Service, Rachel has been a founder member of the “Brackley Elves”. This group was started in the run-up to Christmas. snvb and Brackley Area Volunteer Car Service (BAVCS) supported the Brackley Elves and in doing so managed to organise and deliver:

500 bags of chocolate coins to all the under 5s in Brackley
78 two course Christmas lunches and afternoons teas to those who were alone on Christmas Day
103 goodie bags to those who were lonely and isolated over Christmas complete with 103 Community Christmas Cards
171 individual letters from Father Christmas
90 presents, stockings and craft packs for local families in need
50 hampers to local care homes and assisted living facilities in Brackley on behalf of local schools

Of the 78 people to receive the Christmas Lunches, Teas and goodie bags, a fair proportion were BAVCS passengers. These meals were very gratefully received, with quite a few tears being shed. One of the Volunteer Drivers paid for the majority of the meals as he wanted to make a positive (and very generous) contribution to the Community.

The feedback from the Community has been overwhelming and Rachel has been a key contributor towards the efforts.

Now Christmas is over but Rachel has not had a rest!

She is now working to collect Laptops and tablets for home-schooling children.

Brackley Elves are currently funding the purchase of the software required to enable this to be a success from your kind donations. (anyone with old devices that they would like to donate, please contact either Brackley Elves or snvb.org.uk)

Rachel doesn’t really like the limelight and she did make this touching comment when she heard about the award…

“Just wish my Nan was here because I am what I am because of her and I know she would be so very proud.”

Well done Rachel – we are so proud of you.