The developers of the Faxi car-pooling app are making their technology available to help volunteers support vulnerable people who are heeding government advice and self-isolating.

The app can help volunteers support vulnerable people who are heeding government advice and self-isolating

The Government is in the process of writing to 1.5 million vulnerable people to urge them to stay at home for 12 weeks, and Faxi is now actively working with its clients to help them use the platform to identify trusted volunteers who want to support their co-workers and make them visible in a map-based social network so that support can be provided for those in need.

Any organisation that is already using Faxi can nominate trusted individuals as ‘dedicated drivers’.  These individuals – including their location – will then be easily identifiable for those who need support.

Other organisations can also set up a Faxi community for free (for up to 20 users) directly from the internet and start creating communities where volunteers can plan support for those in need.

“This is a case of technology for good,” said Tony Lynch, co-founder and CEO of Faxi, whose majority shareholder is Toyota Financial Services. “Faxi can be used by private communities of workers, who might previously have been using the app for journey sharing, to identify those who are available to help others – and those who need help.

“We will be working with our clients throughout the emergency period as we are conscious that many local authorities face a monumental task to provide support to the 1.5m vulnerable and we hope to be in a position to support this effort. The whole of Faxi is committed to help in this effort if needed.”