Charity minibus back on the road thanks to local firms...
Accessible minibus had been severely damaged by vandals
A CHARITY minibus taken out of service after a vandal attack is back on the road thanks to the generosity of local businesses and the wder community.
At the end of July, John Storer Charnwood discovered their accessible minibus severely damaged when the driver collected the vehicle to make its first food parcel deliveries of the day.
Vandals had smashed a large side window and ripped out the metal framing to gain entry. They had then thrown the fire extinguishers from the vehicle, poured anti-freeze over the vehicle and also urinated inside.
The vehicle should have been used to collect the weekly food shop for the Charnwood Community Action centralised foodbank and would have then gone on to deliver parcels to households facing significant hardship during the pandemic.
Charnwood Community Action was launched at the start of the coronavirus pandemic in partnership between Charnwood Borough Council, John Storer Charnwood, The Bridge East Midlands, Fearon Hall and Gorse Covert Community Centres.
Candi Barnes, John Storer Charnwood’s Well-being and Transport Team Leader said:
“We are now most happy and grateful to say that several companies and individuals stepped forward with offers of help to get the John Storer Charnwood minibus back on the road.
“We would like to thank Multi Vehicle Technology of Leicester who mended the vehicle free of charge, Go Plant Fleet Services, who lent us a van while the minibus was off the road and Loughborough businessman, Dominic Parr, who paid for a full valet of the minibus!
“John Storer Charnwood also received several additional donations that have gone towards buying new fire extinguishers as they were destroyed in the attack.”