A LONG-SERVING charity worker, who benefited from her colleagues’ skills in dealing with bereavement, has a very young relative apprentice.

Jacky Norris, the coordinator for Tavistock Area Support Services (TASS), has worked in several roles at TASS including driving and organising volunteer drivers.

She has so inspired her grandson Finley Norris, 11, that he plans to be a volunteer driver for TASS and to own his own transport company.

Finley’s drawings of TASS activities and offices at The Anchorage  adorn the various rooms in the HQ.

Jacky said: ‘He is amazing, he has his life already mapped out and knows exactly what he wants to do, but he is only 11.

‘He thinks it is great what we do here at TASS and can’t wait to be a driver for us and to own his own transport company with all sorts of vehicles, including buses and cars like TASS.  He loves coming to the offices to see me and is popular and gets a lot of attention.’

Jacky has worked for TASS for 16 years since 2007 and her other duties are ordering stationery, office supplies and food and drink for the Rest A While Cafe in the Pannier Market, organising room bookings at The Anchorage and handling bookings for mobility aids such as scooters and wheelchairs and also supporting volunteers.

When Jacky worked as a driver she had a contract with Devon County Council to pick up students and take them to Tavistock College. This meant driving all over Dartmoor and to remote rural places like farms. The minibus was more suitable for this than the main buses. 

‘So, I saw children join school, then leave after their school life because I was taking them to school and back every day. Many make me a friend on social media, calling me ‘Jacky the bus lady.’ I still recognise a lot of them.’

She said she ‘loves’ working with TASS users. Roles were reversed when her partner Richard died ten years ago.

‘People here were supportive and used their experience and skills to help me deal with bereavement. It helped me get a different view from our users’ point of view.

‘They are older people who we support to be as independent as possible, so unfortunately, they are more likely to have lost someone and be in my position.’

Jacky is retiring from her paid coordinator role next year, but will still be volunteering as a driver when she is not spending time with her three grandchildren. Anyone who would like to support TASS, is invited to call Jacky at The Anchorage on 01822 616958.