Volunteers from Market Drayton’s Community Car service are celebrating after receiving a £1,000 cash boost from a north Shropshire housing association.
The money comes after the scheme’s coordinator Olivia Matthews applied to Meres and Mosses Housing Association for a community grant to help run the service.
It started in 2004 and provides transport for elderly and disabled residents in the area at a reduced rate, compared to taxis and public transport.
The grant was recommended for approval by TARCA (Town and Rural Communities Association) which represents Meres and Mosses tenants.
Olivia said: “When it started five years ago, the idea was to help people get about, meet friends and alleviate the isolation and loneliness they may feel.
“As well as shopping trips and doctors’ appointments, the service also takes quite a lot of people to Llandudno for holidays so we’re very busy which is good.
“We have four volunteer drivers and a booking clerk and the grant will help pay the tax and insurance on our vehicles for the year.”
Last year, Meres and Mosses through TARCA gave away thousands of pounds in grants to schools in the Market Drayton area to help them develop outdoor learning areas.
TARCA secretary Lesley Ashcroft said: “We encourage people to come forward with projects that they want funding for and then we recommend to the board of Meres and Mosses which ones to support.
“We thought the Community Car was a really good idea as it serves a lot of people in Market Drayton who haven’t got their own transport, especially older people who can’t drive any more and disabled people who can’t use public transport and can’t afford taxis.
“The volunteers were really pleased and it’s nice that we can give something back because in years to come, we might need the community car.”
Meres and Mosses Housing Association managing director Jennie Barfoot said: “Each year, we set aside £10,000 for community-based grants and £20,000 for environmentally-based grants.
“They don’t have to be for Meres and Mosses tenants to benefit from and the Community Car is not only used by our tenants, but the wider community in Market Drayton.
“It does a fantastic job of taking people to doctor’s appointments and other places around the town.”
By Winston Brown
