Community

North Salop Wheelers, whose growing fleet is pictured above, have recently been the beneficiaries of a £45,000 grant to help them provide an essential service to residents without their own means of transport. The grant was awarded by the Morgan Foundation, which offers support to charities across North Wales, Merseyside, West Cheshire and North Shropshire.
Accepting the grant, John Harrison from North Salop Wheelers expressed his gratitude on behalf of the project and its users: “We wanted to thank the Trustees of the Morgan foundation for approving our application and Jane Harris, their representative, for presenting the cheque.”
Continuing cut backs to local authority funding are squeezing many charities, and attracting financial support is an increasing challange. The aim of North Salop Wheelers is to become self-funding and they estimate that thanks to the support of the Morgan foundation, they have three years in which to achieve their objective.
North Salop Wheelers provide services to people in rural areas, transferring them to Whitchurch, Wem and Market Drayton, while making special journeys for those in need. John Harrison recently told the Whitchurch Herald,  “All villages in north Shropshire can access bus transport on a daily basis, and Shropshire Council has recognised that community transport is the future for rural areas, by paying our drivers’ wages. If customers have a north Shropshire postcode, please call, and we even pick up in far flung foreign places such as Hanmer and Malpas.”
Several Hodnet residents are regular users of their services.
NSW cannot fill the gap of shrinking bus services without the support of the wider community. They are calling upon leaders of town and parish councils, as well as community groups, to work with them. Individual volunteers are also welcome to contact them.
To find out more information, visit: northsalopwheelers.co.uk or call 01948 800037.