AN AIREDALE charity is celebrating twice over after having been donated two new minibuses to help transport local people.

Shipley and Bingley Voluntary Transport Service runs a successful community transport service to underpin local services, particularly to support older people and improve their quality of life.

It has three minibuses, driven by a team of 14 volunteers and supported by a team of six volunteer escorts, who ferry some 70 people to and fro every week.

But one of the buses was fading fast, said SBVS chief executive Paul Stephens.

“The minibuses are vital as they enable people to engage with other members of their community, reducing isolation and loneliness," he said.

“Last year one bus was used for 370 sessions and needed replacement - the old saying 'You wait a long time for a bus and then two arrive at the same time’ has certainly come true for SBVS!

“In March we purchased a second hand Mercedes Sprinter, 2007 registration, in very good condition and with only just over 34,000 on the clock.

“That was thanks to the Masons and a very generous donation of £5,000 from the West Yorkshire Provincial Grand Master’s Fund. And then last week we received a grant of £5,000 from the Morrisons Foundation, which has enabled us to cover the full cost of the vehicle.”

And now the charity has had a bonus boost when a new minibus was delivered as the result of a successful bid to the Department of Transport.

“This new bus is smaller in capacity than our other buses, but does allow us to offer a range of vehicles to suit the needs of groups who hire our buses when we are not using them to support our services,” Mr Stephens said.

“The two buses should be more reliable and have lower maintenance costs than our older buses, which will mean that we can continue to provide community transport to local organisations at a reasonable cost.

“This has come at just the right time. We have recently experienced an increase in demand for our community buses as several organisations have stopped providing transport for local groups.”

Shipley MP Philip Davies said: “SBVS do an absolutely fantastic job helping the community and it’s great that this has been recognised in the donation of these buses.”

Department of Transport Under Secretary Andrew Johnson wrote in a letter to Mr Davies: “I am delighted to confirm that following the success of Shipley and Bingley Voluntary Services in securing funding from the Department’s Community Transport Minibus Fund, a community minibus was delivered to that organisation.

“This is one of more than 300 local charities and community groups across England which are now receiving new minibuses from this £25 million fund, helping elderly residents, people with learning difficulties and physical disabilities and those who do not have access to a commercial bus service.”