ST AIDAN’S ARE MOTORING AS NEW BUS ARRIVES AT MILLANDS
FOLLOWING the huge success of the Oscarz fundraising campaign for Saint Aidan’s which brought the whole community together in support, the purchase of new vehicles for the service has begun.
Some key fundraisers were invited to the Saint Aidan’s campus at Millands in Gorey to see for themselves the first of four vehicles purchased from their fundraising effort.
They heard that in total, the fundraising will allow Saint Aidan’s to buy three brand new buses and a people carrier.
The new CEO at Saint Aidan’s Eimear Mannion said that given that the HSE does not fund transportation, these new buses will make a huge difference.
‘All clients and elderly who are collected and dropped home every single day to all the various services, and all the residents who are taken to medical appointments and other engagements, are transported in these vehicles. The organisation receives no money towards the cost of the buses and cars themselves, or towards their taxation, fuel or maintenance.
‘On behalf of the Board of Directors, the management team, the staff, but most especially on behalf of all the service users, clients, residents, respite guests and all their families, I thank everyone involved in Oscarz for all their incredible efforts and the difference it makes to the supply and management of their transport services’.
The first new bus will be used on the North Wexford bus run of the charity organisation, traveling around Coolgreany and north Gorey, collecting service users and elderly to attend services based in Gorey.
Another two buses will assist with the transportation of clients to and from the day service based in Camolin.
All three buses will be sent to be fitted out, so that the chairs are removable and so that wheelchairs can also be accommodated, to give the most flexibility in how each bus can be used in the organisation.
Olive O’Doherty of the Oscarz fundraising committee said it was a pleasure to raise money and make this possible for St Aidan’s.
‘The organisation does such wonderful work in so many different areas in our community, from the pre-school, to day and training Services, residences, respite support and elderly services. So many of those people would have difficulty accessing the services if transport was not provided. It is wonderful to see the results of our efforts and see the new buses and people carrier coming on stream, This is what it was all about. We are all thrilled’.
At the start of the campaign, there were hopes of raising €80,000, but everyone was shocked when this initial expectation was exceeded and over €147,000 was raised following the final screening night at the Amber Springs Hotel in November.