Hazel Grove based Inependent Options have been shortlisted for the Aviva Community Fund after applying for funding to buy an accessible minibus for their short breaks service, something that “is desperately needed but that we could never afford without financial help.”
Independent Options has two guest houses in Stockport where people can enjoy a short break away from home enjoying many of the activities on offer, such as ‘themed’ weekends and evenings, day trips to places of interest and evenings out in local pubs and restaurants. If guests want to relax, there is a wide choice of leisure equipment such as Nintendo Wii, music systems, flat screen TVs, DVD players and games.
To get through to the next round they need to secure as many votes as possible to be put through to the final round where a panel of judges will make their final decision.
Lucy Sawdon, Fundraising & Marketing Manager explains why this is so important to the charity:
“We felt certain that the addition of a minibus to our Short Breaks Service would eliminate any limits placed on the activities that we can provide at short breaks and would provide vital access to the community for our guests.
“The freedom a minibus would provide would ensure that our guests could enjoy their stay to the full and get the most out of their time with us at Hallfield and Beech Avenue.
“We have a total of 110 guests who access our short breaks service and every single one of them would benefit from the increased freedom the minibus would provide.
“The vehicle we are hoping to purchase with the money if we were to secure funding from the Aviva Community Fund can accommodate a total of 8 passengers, two of whom could be in wheelchairs. The addition of wheelchair access to the vehicle further ensures that every single one of our 110 guests registered with us can enjoy its use.”
Independent Options being shortlisted for the Aviva Community Fund means they could receive over £20,000 to buy a new fully accessible minibus for their Short Breaks Service
Lucy continues:
“The way the fund works is that now we’ve been shortlisted, we have to encourage people to vote for us.
“The charities with the most votes then go through to the final round.
“The best part about it is you don’t just get to vote for us once…you can vote for us TEN TIMES! You can spend your ten votes any time from today until 30th May.”
Help Independent Options’ achieve their minibus project, vote here –
https://community-fund.aviva.co.uk/voting/Project/View/942