Voluntary and community groups across Staffordshire are now able to utilise affordable accessible transport as St John Ambulance takes delivery of a new minibus.
The new vehicle was converted by Stanford Coachworks and Mobility Services Ltd, into a 10 seat bus that will accommodate 3 wheelchairs and was handed over to St John Ambulance at their Stafford Branch to Commander Maureen Upton by David Hardacre of Stanford.
“It is a fantastic service that St John Ambulance is providing for the local community and it is great to be a part of such a good cause,” explains David.
Delivery of the 10 seat Volkswagen minibus means the launch of a new community transport service run by St John Ambulance. Following a grant from DEFRA, the charity is able to run the service to help those in rural areas access activities such a lunch clubs, youth groups and social events.
The project’s coordinator Bobby O’Gorman explains “The service has been developed to help those living in rural communities, including young, older people and those with disabilities, get to events, clubs or activities that they might not otherwise be able to get to.”
The project was developed by St John Ambulance following a Staffordshire County Council report estimated that around 66% of lone pensioners households do not have access to a car or van and the council’s Your Voice (2009) consultation said that ‘available, accessible and affordable transport’ is a key issue for older people, people with mental ill health, people with a learning disability, physical or sensory disability or long term conditions.
“We provide many conversions for charitable organisations and each one is slightly different, depending upon the support being offered and the needs of the end users,” explains Jess Rider, Co-Director of Stanford Coachworks.
“St John Ambulance’s support service has been eagerly awaited and will be greatly appreciated once the 4th July launch takes place in Staffordshire.”
The first group the charity worked with on this project was Stafford Stroke Club who approached St John Ambulance to help in transporting their members to meetings and lunches. Each week members are picked up by a St John Ambulance minibus and crew taken to the club and returned home later in the day. Attending the groups helps stroke victim’s recovery and rehabilitation and with regular transport provided by St John Ambulance the membership of the group has grown.
Bobby ends “The St John Ambulance project is not only about transporting people from A to B but about improving their wellbeing by helping them widen their social life.”
- St John Ambulance Conversion Handover
