Meet the couple committed to keeping their community moving

Port Kennedy couple Neole and Kim Manning have been quietly getting Perth residents to vital appointments for years.

After Neole signed up to volunteer for St John WA’s Community Transport Services (CTS) back in 2018, her husband, Kim, wasn’t far behind.

The door-to-door service supports people who can’t use public transport, their usual means of transportation or continually rely on the help of others to get to an appointment.

The service is powered by volunteers who drive between Mandurah and Yanchep, as well as regional hubs, covering retirement villages, major hospitals, medical centres and more.

While volunteering to tackle Perth traffic may not be for everyone, it’s nothing new for Neole and Kim, who both served as bus drivers for years before their retirement.

This is where their passion for customer service and getting behind the wheel began.

It’s where their love story started, too.

Being a former bus driver is not mandatory to become a CTS volunteer, but some flexibility and a love of driving and a good chat will certainly help.

“Volunteering brings a sense of purpose to my life and connects me with people I wouldn’t normally meet,” Neole said.

“You must be able to cope with traffic, occasional waits in-between trips and schedules changing.

“Most of all though, you must like helping and listening to others.”

For Kim, the dynamic nature of the role makes it even more exciting.

“The feeling of assisting others is very satisfying – I see it as paying it forward,” he said.

“Be prepared to deal with things that may surprise you, it certainly makes the day more interesting.”

With occasional long drives and supporting passengers at varying stages of medical diagnoses, building relationships becomes second nature to community transport drivers.

Brightening someone’s day or just lending a listening ear is all part of the job.

“Kim has a fantastic ability to make people feel at ease,” Neole said.

“He loves to interact with his passengers or just listens if they need to vent.”

With an 80th birthday looming over Kim, he is conscious that one day he will have to stop volunteering – but it’s something he’s trying not to dwell on.

And Kim knows that Neole will continue to volunteer and train new recruits, even if he no longer could.

“Neole’s giving nature and willingness to help others wherever and whenever is needed makes her the perfect fit for being a Community Transport Volunteer, as well as a Volunteer Development Officer,” Kim said.

“She is such a beautiful person.”

With full training provided, St John WA’s Community Transport Services is always looking for new volunteers to take the wheel.

There are no minimum hours and the new hybrid and EV vehicles are a smooth, comfortable drive.

Learn more and sign up today.