During 2017 The Ross Gazette has been celebrating a milestone of 150 years.

As part of these celebrations it was decided to introduce a scheme to support a charity. The Ross Action Bus was chosen as the Charity of the Year for 2017. The community bus provides transport for the housebound, blind, elderly and disabled in and around Ross-on-Wye. The service is run entirely by volunteers and is a vital lifeline for many people in the town. Over the years they have provided many trips and outings for hundreds of disabled and elderly people. The volunteers help them to do their shopping or to simply visit friends.

Jo Scrivin, Ross Gazette Editor, said: “The Action Bus was in desperate need of replacing, and we set a target of £40,000 at the start of this year to buy a new bus to keep the vital service running. Thanks to the generosity of the local community and businesses, this target was reached in August.”

Ross Gazette General Manager, Charlotte Reynolds, said: “£40,000 was a huge target, and we were not sure if we would get there, however to reach it within eight months of our fundraising year is a fantastic achievement. I too would also like to thank everyone who donated to the campaign. Thanks to you, the Ross Action Bus will continue.”

President of the Ross Action Bus, Rosemary Rigby, said: “I have been hoping to replace the bus for several years, and this is a dream come true. I am over the moon, and I am extremely grateful to the Ross Gazette and all the people who supported this campaign, I couldn’t be more delighted.”

The new bus is due to be delivered in October, and all those who use the bus are looking forward to the new arrival.