A transport charity stepped in to get elderly residents to their Christmas party.
People at Thornton House Residential Home on Chester Road, Childer Thornton, feared they might not get to their party after they were left without access to a suitable minibus.
Luckily they were able to call on a fairy godmother in the form of ECT, an award winning provider of community transport, which sent over a wheelchair accessible minibus at the last minute ensuring all the residents could get to their festive celebration in Heswall Hall 10 miles away.
Ian Dibbert, general manager of ECT in Cheshire, said: “I started work with a call for help from Thornton House Residential Home. The minibus they had booked to transport them to their Christmas party was not suitable for their resident’s mobility needs so they feared they would need to cancel the trip.
“By 1.30pm my operations team and I had all residents registered with us, on the bus and en route to the party.
“It’s times like these which remind me why I come to work every morning especially when I see smiling faces of residents who would have otherwise missed their event.”
Anna Whitty, chief executive of ECT, added: “Christmas is a time when many older people feel the effects of isolation the most, therefore we are very pleased that ECT was able to step in at the last minute.
“This was a perfect example of the role that community transport can play for people who are isolated or in need not only at Christmas but throughout the year.”
Elle Holmes, activities coordinator at Thornton House said: “I wanted to thank the whole ECT team for all their help throughout the day and jumping in at the last minute. We had a fantastic turn out and we’ll be sure to be calling them again soon.”
ECT in Cheshire operates a wide range of community transport services, including individual door-to-door services and transport for groups enabling individuals and groups who have difficulty using local transport to lead active, independent lives.
