County News

 

‘BREAKING THE BARRIERS FOR ALL’

 Following a grant from DEFRA, this summer saw the launch of the new Community Transport Scheme run by St John Ambulance, with the delivery of a new specially designed purpose built minibus to help those in rural more easily access activities such a lunch clubs, youth groups and social events

 

The Scheme’s coordinator Bobby O’Gorman explains

“The Community Transport Service has been specially developed to help deliver transport for those living in rural communities, where from the young, to the old, from able bodied to disabled, all suffer the common difficulty of lack of suitable transport to be able to get to events, clubs or activities.”

 

The launch follows a Staffordshire County Council report which concluded that it was estimated 66% of ‘lone pensioners’ households did not have access to a car or van, whilst The County Council’s own ‘Your Voice’ (2009) consultation concluded that ‘making available, accessible and affordable transport is a key issue’

 

The Community Transport Service is now operating its new 10 seat minibus to help fill that ‘need’.

 

The Minibus is designed to allow up to 3 wheelchair users to travel using their own wheelchairs along with more mobile passengers.

 

 It offers the reassurance of uniformed, fully trained, ‘emergency medically’ qualified St John Ambulance full time staff, with extra driver training and specialised lifting and handling skills and experience,; delivering to rural communities in Staffordshire,access to affordable, flexible, specialised, safe, reassuring transport.

 

“The St John Ambulance scheme is about improving people’s overall well being by helping them to get out, to widen their social life. To be able to enjoy life and break the barriers of isolation for all”

 

Contact Bob Lee :  boblee999@hotmail.com

 

 

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