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Community bus visiting residents as part of trial

Maisie OlahWest Midlands
Google Line of cars parked in a car park with a community centre that is made from pale stone and wood behind them Google
The "Here to help" bus will be in the car park of the Park Lane Centre in Woodside on Tuesday and Thursday this week

A new community bus will be visiting residents in Telford as part of a project called Here to Help.

The bus will be visiting community centres around South Telford from Tuesday for the next eight weeks, Telford and Wrekin Council said.

It is part of a trial, with the council working alongside other organisations that make up the Vision 2032 Partnership, including West Mercia Police, Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service, the NHS, Telford College and charities.

Residents have been urged to talk to colleagues on the bus about any challenges they are facing regarding their health, access to jobs or skills training or keeping safe, with the dedicated teams providing support and guidance.

Lee Carter, leader of Telford & Wrekin Council, said: "The pilot area for this new street-by-street approach are communities with a strong sense of identity and community spirit."

South Telford seems the ideal place to start given recent government announcements on the £20m Pride in Place investment and the council matching this with a further £10m, Carter added.

Where will the bus be?

  • Park Lane Centre car park in Woodside, from 10:00 BST to 15:00 BST, on Tuesday as well as on Thursday this week
  • The bus will also visit other areas in Woodside, Brookside and Sutton Hill over the next eight weeks, with the schedule of location, dates, times and services on offer published weekly on the council's Facebook page.

Vision 2032 is a 10-year plan for Telford and Wrekin that was developed following consultation with residents.

It seeks to create a place where everyone can prosper, whatever their background, and to tackle some of the big issues facing the borough, the authority said.

Simon Hardiman, chief fire officer at Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service, said: "We are delighted to be part of this innovative project to deliver services in the heart of the communities that we serve.

"It allows us to be flexible and responsive on a truly local level, whilst building on our strong relationships with our partners to make Telford and Wrekin safer."

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