Taxi firms have joined forces with charity fundraisers to provide a free cab service to help elderly and vulnerable people get to Covid vaccination centres.

The new Cabs4Jabs scheme has been launched by the Rotary Club of Medway in partnership with Vokes, Windmill and Rainham Taxis, who have provided £4000 as a start-up fund for the scheme.

Rotarians are appealing for donations to make the project even bigger, with a target of raising another £8,000 on top of the £4,000 already donated by the cab firm bosses.

Mark Robinson, part owner of Vokes, Windmill and Rainham Taxis, Mark Robinson who proposed the initiative said, "As companies who care about our communities, we wanted to do something constructive that would support the frontline workers in a tangible way. We believe that by helping to protect the most vulnerable and preventing their potential hospitalisation, we can play our part in saving lives and protecting the NHS for others who might need it."

Anyone wishing to donate towards the scheme can do so via the www.virginmoneygiving.com/fund/cabs4jabs page, where contributions from taxpayers can be enhanced with Gift Aid of 25% being added.

Elderly and vulnerable residents without their own means of transport to and from Medway vaccination centres, can access the Cabs4Jabs scheme on the Vokes telephone number 01634 22 22 22 requesting the ‘Cabs4Jabs’ charity facility. The Vokes cab co-ordinator will then arrange the transport, and drivers will be reimbursed at a greatly discounted rate from the charity fund.

President of Medway Rotary Alex Hyne said: "We are delighted to help our most vulnerable residents in this way. In keeping with our service ethic, we want to help those who haven’t other means and can’t afford a cab to travel safely to and from this life saving vaccination programme in Medway."

The scheme will be advertised through Doctors surgeries, the Covid testing hubs and via social media, encouraging as wide a social network sharing as possible.

To ensure the safety of passengers, drivers will regularly sanitise their vehicles and wear protective masks.

Read more: all the latest news from Medway.