Work hampered by lack of transport

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33553, 6 June 1974, Page 12

Work hampered by lack of transport

Many handicapped children are unable to attend the Intellectually Handicapped Children’s Society special care centre at Avonside because the society has not enough mini buses to pick them up.

The society’s chief administration officer (Mr J. E. Anderson) said yesterday that the two mini buses which took the children to the centre were getting old and in need of replacement. “Not only do we need replacements but to do our job properly we need two new [buses as well,” he said. Some relief was on the way in that Rotary clubs of Christchurch had raised money to buy one new bus, which is expected to be in use within the next few weeks. “Another one is on the way also, but we have ; no money to pay for it,” I said Mr Anderson. “I don’t

I know what I am going to I tell the transport firm.” There are at least 20 'children who do not attend the centre, or who are attending irregularly, simply because there is a lack of transport. The vehicles range the whole of Christchurch from South New Brighton to Belfast, and beyond Hornby. They each carry 12 children, who are collected in short runs because they cannot stay in the bus longer than 45 to 50 minutes.

“As a result, many of our I children do not get to the] centre until 10.30 a.m. and leave again by 1.30 p.m.,’! Mr Anderson said. “Lack of I transport hamstrings our, .efforts to run a good teach- ! ing programme.” The society would also Hike to buy a wheelchair, ambulance, but Mr Anderson said that this was a long way off because a project being run by the Jaycee to raise money'for one had run into difficulty.