The future of a critical service for elderly residents has been plunged into uncertainty unless support can be secured to keep it afloat.

The Nathalia Community House is calling for financial help to continue its community car program, after NCN Health declared funding for the service would no longer be available from July next year.

The announcement has raised concern among community members, including volunteer driver Marcel Van Leest, 75.

He has volunteered his time driving the car for more than 12 years, and struggled to envision a future without the service for his passengers.

“It’s absolutely vital in their lives,” he said.

“If the car wasn’t there, there’d be a vacuum, and we’d have a situation where people simply couldn’t get to an appointment.

“Just about all of them make the comment that they’re so lucky to have this service.”

Joan Donht, 89, who co-ordinated the community car for 25 years and has since relied on it herself, said she didn’t know what clients would do if the service was discontinued.

“I can’t imagine it,” she said.

“To have to say to them, ‘Well, we haven’t got a car’? They’d be devastated.”

House manager Edwina Fieldman said the house was determined to continue the service into the future, adding the house was incredibly grateful to NCN Health Nathalia for its generous support and partnership.

Now, Mrs Fieldman is seeking a new sponsor for the community car.

“We’ll do everything we can, including our senior management, to keep the car program sustainable and viable and available for community members,” she said.

The community car program is the fruit of a memorandum of understanding between NCN Health Nathalia, which owns the car, and the Nathalia Community House.

On June 30, 2026, the latest agreement is set to expire, with no indications the health organisation will renew it.

State Member for Northern Victoria Wendy Lovell said it was an issue that needed to be resolved.

“I will be advocating for the state government to step up and provide funding to ensure the continued provision of the community car for Nathalia residents,” she said.

Since the 1980s, the community car has transported clients, many of whom cannot drive themselves, to essential appointments and grocery shopping.

With public transport in Nathalia almost non-existent, and taxi services unaffordable for many, the car transported over 130 clients in the past 12 months.

NCN Health was contacted for comment, and did not respond by the publishing deadline.

The Department of Health was also contacted for comment, but did not provide a statement.

Contact the Nathalia Community House on (03) 5866 2449 for more information, including about sponsorship of the service.

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Wednesday, 7th December 2022

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