'Meals on wheels' service in Guernsey hit by soaring fuel costs

  • A video report by ITV Channel Reporter Serena Sandhu

A 'meals on wheels' service in Guernsey has been hit by soaring fuel costs.

Guernsey Voluntary Service (GVS), which runs the minibus food delivery service, has seen its petrol bills increase by 20%.

The charity delivers around 25,000 meals a year to vulnerable islanders but says the increased bills are putting pressure on the service it provides.

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GVS also transports 180 elderly islanders a week from their homes to day centres for social gatherings.

Mandy Le Bachelet, manager of Guernsey Voluntary Service, said: "Our service is vital because as part of the third sector, we are filling a space that the States of Guernsey can't meet anymore.

"The States are wanting to put more services into the third sector but that means an increasing cost for the charities."

The charity picks up around 180 elderly people a week and takes them to day centres around the island Credit: ITV Channel TV

This year, the rising fuel costs have added £2,000 to the charity's expenses and so the team rely heavily on donations from islanders.

Ms Le Bachelet added: "This year, the John Ramplin Charitable Trust has supported us with the Meals on Wheels and the Masonic Foundation has paid for the fuel for the minibuses.

"This is a great help but the trouble is we are always looking to organisations and foundations to support the GVS and it is becoming more difficult."

GVS has also seen a drop in volunteer drivers because the charity is unable to fully reimburse the fuel costs.

This comes at a time when cost of living means there is even more demand for the services they provide, driving home the tough times facing the third sector.