24. June 2026

Peter's Story- Volunteer Driver for 40 years

After more than four decades as a volunteer driver for Brecon Dial-a-Ride (DAR), the time has come for me to officially hang up my minibus keys.

While it is a sad time for me, I don’t want accolades. Driving for Dial-a-Ride has truly been a privilege and a pleasure. Instead, I want to share what this journey has meant to me, and why our community needs people like you to step into the driver’s seat.

How It All Began: A "Nosey" Discovery

Back in the early 1980s, Brecon Dial-a-Ride started as a Manpower Services Commission project in a disused building next to the Powys Highways office, where I worked on the first floor. Being a bit nosey, I wandered downstairs one day to see what all the fuss was about.

I ended up chatting with the team, who explained they had an old Commer minibus for a weekday service and were looking for volunteers to start a Sunday service. They offered me a trial drive. As someone who loves driving different vehicles, that was all it took—I was hooked!

Independence, Community, and Connection

The Sunday service was an instant hit. We built up a small roster of volunteer drivers, meaning most of us only drove about once a month.

Our passengers were thrilled to have a reliable way to get to church, especially in poor weather. More than anything, they appreciated the ride home, which usually involved a steep climb up from the town centre. While many could have asked a fellow parishioner for a lift, using Dial-a-Ride allowed them to maintain their independence without feeling like a weekly burden to friends or neighbours.

Over the decades, this role has given me immense satisfaction. There is nothing quite like the feeling of helping a busload of people enjoy what might be their only social outing of the week. I have met so many wonderful, inspiring people and have always felt humbled by their determination to live independently. Truly, I often felt I gained far more from them than they did from me.

I was incredibly lucky in the early days that my wife was happy to look after our children while I was out driving. In later years, it became even more special when she joined me on board as my passenger assistant.

Could You Help Drive the Future of Dial-a-Ride?

The demand for Dial-a-Ride is only growing. With the DVLA tightening sight requirements for drivers over 70, more people than ever will rely on our services to stay connected to their communities. Because budgets don't allow for more paid staff, volunteers are absolutely essential to keeping Brecon moving.

If you can spare a couple of hours on an occasional Sunday morning—or if you have time during the week, on Saturdays, or for evening trips—please consider stepping forward.

Story written Peter Jones- Current board member and Trustee

What you need to know:

• Full Training Provided: You will receive full training under the Minibus Driver Awareness Scheme (MiDAS), a nationally recognised qualification covering safety and wheelchair handling.
• Flexible Hours: While the Sunday "Church Run" is currently our main volunteer-led service in Brecon, we would love to expand if we can recruit the drivers, our Crickhowell service is completely volunteer run and has driving roles available in week days .
• The Reward: You will be keeping people independent, making lifelong friends, and giving back to the community.

If you enjoy driving and love meeting people, please give the office a ring to discuss how you can help. Take it from me: 40 years fly by when you're having this much fun.

Interested in joining our volunteer team? Please contact the Brecon Dial-a-Ride office directly or email us at office@brecondialaride.org to have an informal chat about how you can get involved.