FYT bus celebrates 10 years of success

The Freshwater, Yarmouth and Totland (FYT) Bus celebrated its 10th anniversary with a buffet and entertainment at Freshwater Conservative Club on Friday (December 10).

The community charity bus was launched in 2011 after two years of planning and was the brainchild of founders Michael Craig and Adrian Harris.

Addressing around 40 volunteers, Michael said: “This is a celebration of our success. When we first started as community bus there was a lot of resistance and we were told it wouldn’t work, but it has done, thanks to volunteers like you.

“We are the only successful community bus on the Island and, in 2016, we were presented with the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service. We’re proud of that and of the support we continue to receive from around our community.”

The FYT bus provides a door-to-door service for the elderly as well as shopping trips into Newport and visits to the hospital.

Michael was presented with a cheque for £864 by Steve White, from the Needles Lodge of Freemasons, bringing their donations to the charity this year to £1,500.

Guests were entertained by the West Wight Slipshod singers, led by Adrian Hudd, who composed a song about the FYT Bus entitled ‘A Transport of Delight’. Pianist was Elisabeth Boreham and narrator, Doug Pollard.

Volunteer bus driver, Cliff Godwin, helped Michael cut the cake and guests included one of the first FYT Bus drivers, Peter Eames, and John Daniels, the original workshop manager.

The FYT Bus is looking for passenger assistants to help on its daily scheduled routes on weekday mornings. Please email hilary.benns@outlook.com if you might be able to help.