Bill’s film boosts vital community bus service: Common Riding enthusiast presents money raised by DVD sale

THE proceeds from the sale of a Langholm retailer’s Common Riding DVD have been donated to a worthy cause.
Bill Barbour presented £100 to John Scott, a director of Annandale Community Transport Services (ACTS).
Every year Bill films the Common Riding and, after taking out expenses, he donates profits to community organisations.
He said: “I heard that ACTS now has funding until March 2022 so decided to support it. We have used the service it provides and really appreciate it.”
ACTS runs community transport, including hospital transport, for individuals who need it.
The organisation also offers vehicle hire and has wheelchair-friendly vehicles.
ACTS has a team of enthusiastic and committed volunteers who give up their time for a variety of different activities.
The organisation operates from offices in Lockerbie High Street and has up to 14 volunteer directors.
Janet Saunders, manager, said: “We’re delighted with this donation to help us towards our hospital transport service.
“We have been providing door-to-door transport to hospital appointments in Dumfries, Carlisle, Edinburgh, Glasgow and others since March 2018.
“We are currently sourcing funding to be able to base a community car in Langholm.
Volunteers
“Once this is confirmed, we will recruit volunteers who are willing to drive for other members of the community who are disadvantaged by a lack of affordable, accessible transport.”
Anyone needing help with transport to hospital appointments should contact the ACTS office on 01576 203053.
The service was in danger of folding earlier this year because of a lack of funds. It now has enough money to keep going until March 2022.
It received revenue funding of £15,000 over three years from the Minnygap windfarm; £30,000 over three years from Ewe Hill 16 windfarm; £12,000 from SSE Clyde and £10,000 from the National Lottery Community Fund.
Another £5,000 came from the Stafford Trust, £1,500 from the Lockerbie Trust and £5,000 from Dumfries and Galloway Council’s anti-poverty fund.
Tesco Bags for Help provided capital of £2,000 which was used to buy a VW Transporter.
More funding will be needed to continue providing hospital transport beyond March next year.
The service now has four 16-seater minibuses and four cars, along with the transporter.
All the vehicles are accessible and based in Moffat, Lockerbie and Annan.
Volunteer drivers are given full training and out-of-pocket expenses. In the past year they did 1,146 activities and gave 5,312 hours of their time.
They can choose when they would like to drive and which trips they want to do. They can drive all the vehicles or just choose to drive the cars.
Janet said: “It’s very rewarding and drivers meet many different people and go to a variety of places.
“If anyone would like to help and be a part of our friendly team, they can contact us on 01576 203053.”
The AGM is on Thursday, November 28 at 7.30pm in Smiths Hotel, Gretna Green.