Kelvin has been CEO since 2014 but has worked for HcL since 1987. Starting off as a Dial-A-Ride driver he has progressed through the charity through roles in management to senior management. Kelvin enjoys the diversity of his role:
“My favourite thing about HcL is meeting the people who benefit from the service. I love listening to their background story - they’ve all got a story to tell. People are usually reluctant to venture out after being confined to their homes for various reasons. When they do use either Dial-A-Ride or Dial-A-Bus for the first time and experience the journey, the help they get booking the trip, the driver offering a door-through-door service, and meeting other people who use the service giving them the opportunity to make friends. Our services bring people back into their community. I am very proud of our service and the staff who make the service what it is.
HcL has been operating for over 35 years. In this ever changing climate I would like to ensure HcL is on a strong footing to continue to help people with mobility challenges for years to come. We need to be able adapt to changes in legislation, technology and operational demands whilst maintaining the high level of service our passengers expect.”
Robert is Operations Manager. He has overall responsibility for the operations across HcL, but specifically responsible for all operations in Edinburgh, Midlothian and East Lothian. He is responsible for the planning and delivery of service of both Dial-A-Ride and Dial-A-Bus services including despatch, drivers and vehicles.
Robert has worked for HcL for 18 years now – starting with us as a relief driver, before driving for the ECAS project and then onto Dial-A-Ride. Robert was promoted to Assistant Operations Manager in 2014 and Operations Manager in 2020.
He enjoys the variety of the role from working with the office staff, with the management team on new initiatives, the Councils on new projects alongside managing the day-to-day operations. Robert still gets to drive now and again, when covering for staff who are off sick for example. He misses driving the buses and meeting the passengers each day, so is delighted to get out of the office and onto a bus when required.
Robert is proud of the unique service we provide across the Lothians.
Gary is Assistant Operations Manager for our operations in West Lothian, based at our Bathgate office. He is responsible for the planning and delivery of service of both Dial-A-Ride and Dial-A-Bus services including despatch, drivers and vehicles. But can still be seen out and about on a bus, as a back-up driver when required. He has worked for HcL for 26 years now – starting with us as a relief driver, before driving for the Dial-A-Bus service. He them moved into the office as a Despatcher, before progressing to Supervisor and then to Assistant Operations Manager in 2014.
Gary really enjoys his role – and says it has been a quick 26 years! His wife often says he is the only person she knows who is happy to get out of bed on a Monday to go to work.
Gary is proud of the difference the service makes to people’s lives and loves to hear from our passengers how the services have helped them.
Elizabeth recently started as the new Service Development Manager with HcL.
Elizabeth has worked in Health and Social Care and Community Learning & Development for almost 30 years. Working across Edinburgh and the Lothians as a Community Education Worker in West Lothian; Coordinator of West Granton Community Trust and most recently for Alzheimer Scotland in Edinburgh, Elizabeth is a great asset to the HcL team.
Elizabeth is excited to join HcL as "Now more than ever it is essential that people are enabled to be engaged, active and to participate in their local communities". Elizabeth looks forward to building, maintaining and developing new relationships with other organisations and groups in order to support more people across Edinburgh and the Lothians, who have mobility challenges, to access facilities, amenities and support.
You can contact Elizabeth at - elizabeth.campbell@handicabs.org.uk
Kenneth joined the Executive Committee at HcL in 2015 and became Chairman in 2019.
Kenneth’s background is in Medicine and the Armed Forces. After studying medicine at Glasgow University and then serving with the Army for 5 years as a medical officer he joined a medical practice in Edinburgh. He trained in occupational and industrial medicine and was a member of the Territorial Army for 20 years. Kenneth saw service in the Army in Germany, Yorkshire, Northern Ireland Hong Kong and Saudi Arabia and through his knowledge of occupational medicine he has a strong understanding of the challenges relating to disability and health issues.
“HcL is a friendly organisation with dedicated staff. I hope to support them in their different roles. I believe HcL is important to Edinburgh and the Lothians as their services helps prevent social isolation which is so prevalent for our ageing population and for people with disabilities and long-term health issues. By providing a door-through-door transport service that is affordable and service-user orientated, we make a huge difference to people’s lives and I am very proud to be part of that.
I want HcL to be a permanent and essential part of community transport going forward. Funding is always going to be a priority so it is essential we have strong governance, a robust fundraising focus and a cost-effective approach managing the charity so that we can continue to support our service-users for years to come.”
Jaslin is a Chartered Accountant for one of Scotland’s leading firms and has been on our Board since 2015.