TEN YEARS AGO Friday April 27, 2012

Ring and Ride and Red Cross tranpsort services secured

Two lifeline services that allow elderly people to lead active and independent lives have this week been secured.

Campbeltown Ring and Ride and the British Red Cross transport service have received thousands of pounds from Argyll and Bute Council to offer transport to some of the most vulnerable members of the community.

The Ring and Ride on-demand bus service operated by West Coast Motors was awarded £18,864 to continue to help elderly and disabled people in the town attend appointments and services.

The Red Cross service, which goes to remote places and transports elderly and disabled people to medical appointments and to access other services, received £3,500 for the coming financial year.

Despite concerns last week that it was under threat and that funding was being slashed, the council said funding for the service had already been identified in the budget published in February.

Robert Colburn, Red Cross senior service manager for Argyll, said: ‘The Red Cross is acutely aware of how much this service means to people in Kintyre.

‘Many who use it have mobility problems, live in remote rural areas and either cannot use or would have extreme difficulty accessing public transport.

‘For the past two years, we have faced uncertainty with this service but, happily, the council has been able to continue funding it and our service users have not suffered any disruption.

‘Without the Red Cross transport service, they would risk social isolation.’

In 2012: Local talent was out in force last Friday when the king of rock ‘n’ roll, aka Robert McCallum, was joined by gospel singing nuns including Jacqueline McCallum, Barbara McEachran, Rhona Cairns, Laura Lamont and Alice McCallum. A host of other acts also performed in aid of the sensory garden at Auchinlee Nursing Home.