Hoppa news March 2021

The Hoppa has been so busy during this difficult time.
We are still providing a shopping service to those who are vulnerable and cannot get out to do their own shopping. This runs Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. At some points there have been over 80 households that have needed shopping delivered. We have worked with the team at Halesworth Volunteer Centre to get this programme up and running and it has been a pleasure to work alongside them all to look after our community.
The shopping service goes out as far as Heveningham and the Saints, covering most of the villages in between
To date (18-02-2021) we have taken 132 passengers to Reydon to have their first Covid-19 vaccination.
The ‘Jab Express/ Covid Buster’ as our driver trainer, Dave Pring, named the buses has been seen all over Halesworth, Bramfield, Wissett, Holton, Wenhaston, Spexhall and Westhall. We have taken passengers ranging from 100 years old to our youngest at 27 years.
We are incredibly proud of what we have achieved during this very difficult year with the coronavirus. We couldn’t have achieved this without the wonderful team of volunteer drivers at HACT. They really have worked on the frontline to deliver people safely to Reydon for their jabs and to deliver the shopping out to some very remote area in the floods and deep snow.
We would like to thank Councillor Tony Goldson for allocating us some funds from the locality budget in order for HACT to run this as a free service to all those who have needed transport to get to their vaccinations.
We would also like to thank the Halesworth Town Council for matching Cllr Goldson’s funding to ensure we have enough money to cover all the return trips for the second wave of vaccinations.
It is fabulous to be part of a town that has offered so much to the community in the last year. We look forward to times when the Hoppa can run again and we can offer our community hires so that people can enjoy events that we have all desperately missed.
We have new drivers waiting to be trained which is very exciting.
Please remember the trips to the Sole Bay Vaccination Centre in Reydon are free and open to everyone of any age or disability. We have a tail lift at the back of the bus to help those who need it.
HACT is extremely grateful and impressed by the efficiency and kindness of all the staff and volunteers at Sole Bay Vaccination Centre. We would like to thank them for looking after our drivers and passengers when we arrive.
Finally a massive thank you to all those who have offered donations and to our sponsors; The Halesworth Co-op, Broadway Colours, Spectra and Suffolk Community Foundation. Without all this help the Hoppa wouldn’t be able to offer the services to you all.
If you wish to help with donations or sponsorship please contact the office on 01986 875900 or email office@hactbus.co.uk