Clan Cancer Support has
received £113,030 for two low emission vehicles to transport cancer patients
to hospital appointments in Aberdeen, reducing the organisation’s annual CO2
output by seven tonnes per year.
A
zero emissions nine-seater minibus has been
secured as part of funding worth £76,535 from The Plugged in Communities grant
which is supported by Energy Savings Trust and Transport Scotland.
The
minibus will be based at Clan Haven, the charity’s bed and breakfast
accommodation in Aberdeen, which offers 27 bedrooms and communal facilities for
anyone travelling to the city for medical appointments.
Guests
staying at The Haven can use Clan’s free daily transport service with drivers
completing up to 25 return trips to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary each day.
The
charity has also received a five-seater hybrid vehicle to be based at its Elgin
centre thanks to £36,495 of funding from The
Scottish Government, tsiMoray, Moray Local Action
Group, The Gordon and Ena Baxter Foundation and The Adam Family Foundation. It will
be used to transport cancer patients accessing Clan’s Moray support services to
medical appointments in Aberdeen, Elgin and Inverness.
Duncan
Peter, Clan Cancer Support’s head of income generation, said: “As an organisation we are committed to upgrading
our transport fleet to electric or hybrid models as part of our net-zero
strategy and this funding has enabled us to accelerate that transition.
“Our
transport service works around our client’s schedule to take the stress out of
getting to and from hospital and is relied on by hundreds of people across the
north of Scotland who need to travel for treatments and appointments during
their cancer journey.
“We
are extremely grateful to our funders for helping us secure these fantastic
vehicles which will provide comfortable and energy efficient transport for our
Haven guests and our Moray clients for years to come.”
Clan
has been delivering free transport to Haven guests travelling to ARI for more
than 11 years with drivers accruing an average of 15,000 miles per year for
journeys between Clan House, the charity’s Westburn Road premises, and the
hospital.
Clan
Haven provides accommodation for more than 400 people each year with many
guests travelling from Orkney and Shetland to stay in the home from home
accommodation while they undergo cancer treatment.
Heather
Quin, senior programme manager, Energy Saving Trust said: “We are delighted to
see the Plugged-in Communities grant fund help Clan Cancer Support, and other
community transport services, to purchase zero-emission vehicles and enable
positive change by creating more sustainable travel within local communities.
Energy Saving Trust strives to make transport more inclusive and accessible to
all, by supporting a just transition to net zero.”
A Transport
Scotland spokesperson added: “It’s great to see Clan Cancer Support now
benefiting from their new electric minibus. Scottish Ministers recognise the
social and economic benefits that community transport can offer to communities
across Scotland.
“As well as contributing to
reduced isolation and increased inclusion – zero emission
community transport gives more people access to sustainable transport options,
protecting our environment and helping reduce transport emissions.”