Community Transport

AGE UK Lindsey will continue to deliver its important and popular community transport and wheelchair hire services, thanks to support from North Lincolnshire Council.

Meanwhile another well used community service that will carry on is the Men in Sheds project, with Lindsey Lodge Hospice agreeing to take on the running and ongoing support of the project.

As reported, the charity has now closed its Lifestyle Centre, on Crosby Road, Scunthorpe – a decision taken because of the high cost and low usage of maintaining the facility. However, bosses at Age UK Lindsey have fought to see the most needed and used services delivered from the facility, continue.

As a result of talks, which started as soon as the closure announcement was made in the spring of this year, the transport and wheelchair hire services have been given a new home, free of charge by North Lincolnshire Council at its bus depot on the Midland Road Industrial Estate. All the 13-service staff and volunteers have moved to the new base with people able to use the same phone number to book.

Cllr Julie Reed, NLC cabinet member for Connectivity said: “I am delighted that the Council was able to step in and support this vital community service that volunteers and Age UK Lindsey work so hard to deliver to our most vulnerable residents in North Lincolnshire.”

The transport scheme was by far the most popular Age UK Lindsey Service at the former Lifestyle Centre, making around 1,400 trips around North Lincolnshire every year – with its five vehicles carrying 300 passengers on almost 10,000 return journeys.

These include regular shopping trips for individuals, one-off special events, medical visits and group bookings by charity organisations. With full wheelchair accessibility, the door-to-door service is supportive to the more vulnerable members of the community, with specific help for people who would otherwise not be able to get out.

Age UK Lindsey Chief Executive Officer Andrew Storer said: “Clearly we are delighted to have been able to find a solution that allows these vital services to continue and we can only thank North Lincolnshire Council, which has actively worked with us and helped. Closing the Lifestyle Centre was not an easy decision, however in doing so we were determined to keep these services running.”

Plans were now being put into place to allow the service to be sustainable in the long-term bearing in mind the cost to upkeep the small fleet of buses that were getting older, added Mr Storer.

Meanwhile he also thanked Lindsey Lodge Hospice for taking over Men in Sheds, which will remain in its building directly behind the old Lifestyle Centre. This project is one of many similar initiatives across the country, which runs workshops aimed at men who want to get together, meet new people and learn new skills.

“There is no doubt of the good work of Men in Sheds and, it was something that we did not wish to see lost from North Lincolnshire,” added Mr Storer.

For more details on the Community Transport and Wheelchair Hire services call 01724 849819 For more details on Men in Sheds, telephone: 01724 270835, or email llh.enquiries@nhs.net