A BRAIN injury charity that helps hundreds of sufferers is calling for volunteers to drive its minibus and help in its activity centre.

Kennington-based Headway Oxfordshire needs minibus drivers to pick-up and drop-off users of its activity centre from their homes four days a week.

Drivers are needed for just a few hours in the morning from 9am and again in the afternoon at about 2.30pm from the centre in Bagley Wood Road.

The charity, which celebrates its 25th anniversary on April 18, offers a range of rehabilitation activities at its centre for those with brain injuries, including physiotherapy, memory workshops, art and music.

Director Jamie Miller said: “We have quite a number of young people who want to volunteer as part of their courses and that is fantastic – but we don’t tend to get people who are able to do things like the driving.”

He said general volunteers who could offer any amount of time were needed for the day centre and added: “The volunteers will be working directly with people who have brain injuries doing a range of activities and games – from making cups of tea to supporting people gardening.”

The charity helps about 400 people a year by providing rehabilitation and support to those affected by brain injury.

At the beginning of last year bosses feared the service would close until it was rescued by two grants from the Big Lottery Fund.

Last March, the charity received £91,000 and then two months later it was awarded a three-year grant of £292,524 for its community brain injury project, which gives sufferers support, including finding a job or joining a gym.

Mr Miller said: “The project has been hugely successful and will continue to be. There are no other services that provide what we do in Oxfordshire.”

He said the centre had helped nearly 1,400 sufferers. He added: “We have people we support here who are 19 or 20 and they are going to live with that condition for the rest of their lives.”

The centre is open Tuesday to Friday from 10.30am-3pm.

All volunteers will be subject to a CRB check and should be over 18.

Minibus drivers need a full, clean driving licence and have to be aged 21 or over.

The transport service is provided at a subsidised rate of £20 for users of the centre.

For information or to apply call 01865 326263 or email admin@headway-oxford.org.uk