Talk Morgan Forums Community The Malvern Arms Classic Passengers

Proposal:

All over the country there are Care Homes and all over the country there are a lot of retired people who own Classic Cars of various vintages. It occurred to me that if these same people were able to drop in on their local Care Home and take an elderly resident for a ride, perhaps for a cuppa at the local tea-room, this might be a highlight for elderly people (mostly men!) who have always wanted a certain kind of car, or perhaps who owned the particular car in their youth.

The idea might also coincide with club meetings, where a small party of elderly residents could have a day-out at an event. I imagine a booking system where the Care Residents are able to look at a number of options in terms of dates and types of cars they are interested to ride in: this could be done easily online. There would be no charge.

It seems to me that it's a shame that all these hundreds of semi-retired owners of expensive and not-so-expensive old cars aren't doing anything else with them other than meeting each other and trailing about the countryside in convoys. There is nothing wrong with this of course, but the above idea came to me as a way to not only give an old guy a special day out, but also introduce a bit of an excuse to take out the old Classic! I have seen something along these lines happening in the sailing community, with sailors taking much needed aid to remote regions instead of just cruising about the planet in a slightly aimless fashion.

I have sent an email out to many Clubs about this non-profit idea: if sufficient interest comes back, I will commission a web-designer to construct a suitable website, get some idea of the costs involved & seek sponsorship, or request small donations from the Clubs that decide to get involved. I envisage a simple process, which might also include a "report" and possibly a picture or two of the encounters between the Classic Driver and the Classic Passenger.

Any comments, suggestions etc welcome.

Oliver Stapleton
Devon

Oliver. A truly noble idea. My wife drives for the local bureau picking up and dropping off elderly people to the hospital/ shops and generally having a chat.

The problem, however, is the State is now getting involved insisting on each driver having security checks, insurance being questioned......journeys having to be paid for......etc, etc...

Imagine the State's response to us wanting to launch elderly people at the horizon in fast cars?!

Oliver, I agree with JB.

Sadly once a person is "in care" the nanny state takes over and wants to "protect". So CRO checks, insurance checks and so-forth immediately come into play. Don't even think about helping under 16s.....Post Savill the state is paranoid.

BUT there are plenty of people living at home who are lonely and would relish transport and company. There will be retired and elderly petrol-heads amongst them and for them a ride in an exotic car would make their year...

The first port of call is probably AGE UK, they do a fantastic job.
http://www.ageuk.org.uk/

I have found through experience it is best approached in the Devon way " go along quietly" otherwise the plethora of officialdom will befall you.

The places I have approached have been more than happy with this arrangement, you are after all taking out a recently introduced "friend"....and as no remuneration is wished for the arrangement works.

Once you "organise" something official it will be strangled by paperwork and committees like most things and the spirit of the idea can be lost in this trasition IMHO.

Good Luck

You ring a bell in my mind as a young man just starting out in life I used to hang out with a pal at the local garage where we got on well with the owner a rally nut. Most of the classic car owner car nuts used to call in , one chap stands out nicknamed Speedy Grey he had a Britannia with a Raymond Mays conversion ( 3 carbs on an old Zepher engine ) . This went for a yellow E Type that went for a blue E Type both FHC . His daughter lives over the road to a house I own and I was chatting to her a few month ago. Dad is now in a home he has dementia seldom talks the Blue E Type is locked in a garage has not been driven for yonks . But what she said sank in , she pointed out if anyone talked of classic cars he would light up then start talking and could not be shut up and talk all day , there must be a point in that . Kind of makes you think what we have to look forward to .

I agree with Richard and would be happy to participate in such a scheme with the only caveat being and based on experience with my late mother that mobility would need to be checked very carefully. The mind of people may be enthusiastic but the reality of getting them in and out of a Morgan may be problematic. Great idea though.

Pete

I think you mean CRB (Criminal Records Bureau) checks! Are they really that concerned when it comes to the elderly? Children yes.

But, I'd not be surprised if a significant percentage already have a valid CRB. I do, I help with the local Scouts.

Sounds like a wonderful gesture and i'm sure that there are many elderly folk that would benefit from such a thing.
Just needs the right planning and approach, I guess.

+1 - no doubt you will keep us all advised of developments?

I was asked by a golfing colleague whether I would take his "friend" for a ride in the Morgan. Evidentially she is 86. Why is it never a 25 year old blonde.