26/04/2026
A wee picture of some long serving members of staff and their families of Dial-a-Journey and Shopmobility in all their finery, who attended the Annual Order of Malta fundraising Ball at Prestonfield House Hotel in Edinburgh.
There are many others who were not there tonight who have also given many years of service making sure members of communities throughout Forth Valley can go about their business with the support they need - a big shout out to them too!!
In addition to thanking all present tonight, we'd like to thank the Edinburgh Ball Committee, (chaired by Andrew Milligan) who spend months behind the scenes co-ordinating this event and badgering people to part with their cash.
We'd also like to thank our Board of Trustees who steer, guide, and support us in our work. These Trustees shoulder a great responsibility on a voluntary basis, and we actively encourage people to come forward and join our Board. Finally, we thank John Ferguson Minibus hire for getting our people to and from this prestigious event (probably in various states of disrepair after their Scottish Dancing)
Last year, the Ball generated £16,000 that went towards updating one of our minibuses.
Typically, a new specially adapted minibus costs over £100,000, and ideally we need to replace 2 a year - so you can see why we need to fundraise.
Next year will be our 40th year of delivering services and during that 40 years, we are sure over 1 million passenger trips have been made (it may be more but we're trying to find the chalk, slate and paper records to confirm this), but irrespective of how many trips were made, each and every one of those trips has been an experience lived that made a difference to someone, and the way that our staff supported them, not only made a difference to the person travelling with us, they also make a difference to those who care for them full time.
All in all, transport is a means to an end, it's what you can do once you get out from behind the closed door that really matters.
Our team consistently provide what matters.
Our current team has built on what our predecessors gave us, and our aim is to make sure that those who come after us. can do the same for another 40 years.
Dial-a-Journey's strength over the years hasn't only been transport, it's been the support we've been able to give to others, and we need to be around for years to come to fill the gaps created where others pull back.
