Nick Herbert hands over keys for new community minibus

Arundel & South Downs MP Nick Herbert was in Walberton on Saturday morning (22 November) to hand over the keys to a new community minibus which will serve the villages of Aldingbourne, Barnham, Eastergate, Walberton and Yapton.

The minibus will be operated by volunteers from the Five Villages Division of the West Sussex Community Minibus Association.

Around 80 volunteers and friends of the Association were at the event which took place at Walberton Village Hall.

Receiving the keys, Divisional Organiser Robin Low of Aldingbourne thanked Mr Herbert and said: "This is an important day for Five Villages.  We now have a minibus with real passenger comfort and we will use it as much as we can to help our members."

After the presentation, Mr Herbert enjoyed tea and biscuits in the Village Hall and chatted with members of the Association who had turned up to support the event.

Commenting after the event, Mr Herbert said: "I was delighted to be asked to hand over the keys for the new West Sussex community minibus.  Many people living in our villages rely on this transport and are extremely grateful for it.  I think the Association and its hundreds of volunteers do a fantastic job, and I congratulate them on all their efforts to help people who don't have cars to get around our very rural county."

The West Sussex Community Minibus Association is a charity, set up 35 years ago to provide communities in West Sussex with transport.  Initially for shopping, the Association now provides its members with lunch trips, scenic drives and visits to theatres as well as local and regional shopping trips.

The Association currently has 14 minibuses stationed in villages across the County.  With around 200 volunteers and well over 1,000 members, the Association is funded mainly by membership subscriptions and bequests.

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Notes for Editors

1. For the website of the West Sussex Community Minibus Association, visit http://www.westsussexminibus.org/. The Honorary General Secretary Joe Ashton can be contacted on 01403 259934.

2. On behalf of the Felpham Freemasons, Trevor Lee was at the event to present a cheque for £550 to the Association. The money will be used by the Five Villages Division to ensure that passenger comfort is maintained.