Theo and Kirsty travelling via a Uniting Care Transport Team wheelchair caddy.

The Uniting Care Transport Team was awarded a grant from NRFC to help with the transportation of physically and mentally challenged clients, including those in wheelchairs, to their medical and disability support services.

Five times a week they transport two clients Khrysti and Theo, to their day care services in Lismore. Both are siblings from the same family and live in the rural area of Clovass, some 25 km away from Lismore and 15 km away from Casino. Khrystelle (Khrysti) has a physical and mental disability which renders her wheelchair bound. She attends Multitask a support facility that encourages independence for people with disabilities. It also encourages growth and development while offering support and security. Her brother Theo attends Red Inc, a support facility for people with Down Syndrome and diverse abilities. It encourages integration into society and societal acceptance of people with disabilities whilst teaching them living and social skills and providing recreational activities.

Each week Khrysti and Theo are transported to their Lismore facilities in a wheelchair accessible caddy. The round trip is 90 km per day, 450 km per week, 22,500 km per year! Volunteers contribute 1015 hours to this great cause.

Without the UnitingCare Casino Transport Team safe transportation to and from Lismore, they wouldn’t be able to attend such facilities on a daily basis. This offers great stress relief and support to their mother Hillary, while offering great opportunities for socialisation, development and growth to Khrysti and Theo. Furthermore, without the driving facilities offered by UCCTT and the generous donation granted by NRCF, this service wouldn’t be so readily available to Hillary and her children as they have found that other transport services are too expensive. The NRCF grant contributes to nearly one third of the running costs of the caddy.