A RETIRED nurse from Romsey has spoken of her pride at volunteering for a charity that helps families with people with disabilities take much-needed holidays.

Christine Chisholm has worked all her life in nursing but has found her calling with an organisation known as the Jumbulance Trust.

The charity makes travel accessible for those with disabilities or illness.

Christine describes the service as a ‘lifeline’ for those needing a getaway.

As well as holidays, the trust also provides day trips which offer a break for family, spouses, and full-time carers.

Christine said: “Those husbands and wives need a break too. How do you get a break if you’re a carer? We’re a lifeline for some people.”

The Jumbulance Trust was founded more than 30 years ago and started out as a service providing pilgrimages for people unable to travel in the usual way due to health complications.

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A team of volunteers from doctors and nurses to drivers would get on board to support those with medical conditions to take part in a fully accessible break.

During the height of the pandemic, the one-of-a-kind vehicles were also used by the NHS to provide mobile intensive care units and to help relieve pressures in overflowing hospitals.

The vehicles are designed in Belgium and are kitted out with specialist medical equipment, apparatus and much needed space to ensure no one is refused a trip.

Each coach is a 56-seater and costs in excess of £400,000 to purchase, but the trust currently owns two.

The organisation has dramatically increased in size since the beginning and became the Jumbulance Trust to include break out groups to offer wider support.

The affiliate groups now span across the nation to include Wales, Scotland and Ireland and Romsey has its own group where Christine gives her time and expertise.

Christine said: “Around 33 years ago I started going as a volunteer nurse on the Jumbulances but in those days they only did pilgrimages. We then extended the trust, and I didn’t want to do just pilgrimages but holidays as well and that’s when it became the Jumbulance Trust and I was founder of the trust."

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Christine was given one of the highest honours at the start of this year, as she was made an MBE for services to philanthropy in the Queen's New Year Honours.

Now she is calling for more people to get involved and volunteer so that the good work of the trust can continue.

She said: “There are only two people employed at Jumbulance but we have hundreds of volunteers across the UK, and maybe 30 or so in this area alone but we could always use more. As I get older, who’s going to take my place?”

Later in the year the charity hopes to embark on a trip to Austria and Germany to visit the mountains for six nights, as well as a trip to Blackpool to visit the beach and see the lights on the seafront.

The group is also planning its first winter ski trip for younger people.

For more on the charity or to get involved go to jumbulance.org.uk or call 07483414330.

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Kimberley Barber