'Crucial' Oxley Community Transport Services praised at grand opening of new headquarters

Oxley Community Transport Services (OCTS) has grown increasingly important since it started operating 30 years ago, but it could be argued its impact over the past 18 months has been more profound than ever before.

While its efforts certainly haven't gone unnoticed, as shown by its nomination for the 2021 NSW and ACT Community Achievement Award, the extent of the organisation's great reputation was laid bare on Tuesday.

"What a significant day, what a great day and what a great reward for all the hard work that has been put into getting where you are here today," Tamworth MP Kevin Anderson said.

"When a freedom is taken away like contact, it becomes extra special and it becomes more meaningful.

"So to be able to have Oxley Community Transport touching and changing and making the lives better for those in our community, you are to be commended."

Staff also took on extra clients and activities throughout the pandemic; from taking people to the shops and dropping patients off at crucial medical appointments, to delivering hampers during lockdown, OCTS officials and their army of volunteers were kept incredibly busy.

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But throughout all that, they had to juggle setting up and moving into a new facility, located in Curtiss Close at Taminda. Chairman Ray Tait is certain the move will be worth it though.

"It streamlines the operation a lot more than we previously had, but the reason we came down to Taminda, and in particularly this site, was the safety, the safety for our volunteers," he said.

"As far as the streamlining of services to our clients, all four thousand of them, it should be enhanced and improved."

Acting Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce, who was also at the announcement, was full of praise for the service.

He said the management and volunteers are among a rare group of people who take it upon themselves to make the world a better place.

"In life there are three types of people. One type who drive along the road and they throw litter out the car - they're paper chuckers, then you've got people who comment and complain and use it as a conversation starter to morally justify themselves.

"But then you've got the other group that actually makes the nation, the special group and they're called the paper-picker-uppers, they're the ones who actually stop the car, get out and pick up the rubbish.

"They're the ones who actually make a difference, they're the ones that make the nation stronger and this is a fence that surrounds the paper-picker-uppers."

The kind words from all who attended meant a lot to chief executive Sharon Tibbs, who has worked tirelessly along with Mr Tait and other internal and external parties to set up the new depot.

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