Shirley Shuttle Cancer Outpatient Transport Service Central Coast, aka Shirley Shuttle, has celebrated 17 years of service having completed 9,200 individual trips during 2024 to ‘transport-challenged’ clients in its four sedan vehicles and thanks to dedicated volunteer drivers.
Shirley Shuttle survived the liquidation of Community Transport Central Coast (CTCC) during late September 2024 and was only off the road for five days when client bookings and schedules recommenced with the dedication of the volunteer drivers and founder Barb Galvin until administration could be taken over by Hornsby Ku-ring-gai Community Transport managed by Helen Crouch.
Galvin quickly registered Shirley Shuttle Inc as a registered charity with a strong management team constitution and business plan to ensure continuation of the service via the generosity of the Central Coast community.
Shirley Shuttle celebrated the replacement of Shirley 1 thanks to a $15,000 donation from the Lions Family Central Coast with a matching grant from the Australian Lions Foundation (ALF), the third replacement of that vehicle since 2019.
Shirley 2 was replaced thanks to the Freemasons on the Central Coast with an extra donation of $7,500 towards vehicle maintenance costs of both vehicles.
Shirleys 3 and 4 will be replaced within the next few months at the cost of $35,750 each as they are overdue for replacement.
Michael Bell from Bendigo Bank provided $28,000 to keep one of the soon-to-be-replaced vehicles for use as a back-up vehicle when other vehicles are off the road for maintenance and to keep that vehicle maintained for up to three years.
Since 2008 Central Coast Local Health District (CCLHD) provided fuel cards to the four Shirley vehicles at the cost of $28,600 a year.
During late 2023 CCLHD indicated that fuel cards would not be continued as at June 30, 2025.
When Victoria and Christopher Logan from Wideline Windows and Doors heard the news, they deposited that amount into the Shirley Shuttle Inc account with no expectation of recognition.
Galvin founded Shirley Shuttle in March 2008 in memory of her mother Shirley who died of cancer in 2006 in recognition of other outpatients who struggled to get to treatment.
She said the Shirley Shuttle was truly one of a kind and could only continue with the support of the Central Coast community and the dedicated team of volunteer drivers.
Donations and speaking requests: barb@shirleyshutleinc.org.au and shirleyshuttleinc.org.au or 0418 286 192.
Volunteer driver inquiries: volunteer@shirleyshuttleinc.org.au
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