Tring coach company helping local residents get to vaccine appointments
Masons Coaches is helping customers old and new
Masons Coaches usually operates across Buckinghamshire and Hertfordshire.
Last year Masons Minibus and Coach Hire Ltd shared the difficulty they were having with a lack of government funding, and despite this not changing they've started a scheme to help locals.
With some vaccination appointments in the evening, and other patients generally unsure of how to get to some centres they are bringing people to and from appointments.
Candice Mason says it was an easy decision to support locals:
"There is a whole generation of people who have barely left their houses since March, some we have spoken to this is their first time out of the house.
"I remember thinking when the vaccine process was announced 'How will John get there? How will that couple?' because some of our cutomers just dont have cars, or ways to get around.
"A couple we met the other day had their appointment at 7pm, and they do have a car but they just dont feel comfortable driving. Without us how would they have got there?
"I suppose they would have used a paid service but for us it was important we offer this for free.
"People have been so supportive of us over the year, liking every post and signing petitions it was something we could do for them."
The scheme started when Masons Coaches posted on their social media pages saying they could help transport people if they needed.
Then local forums got in contact sharing stories of people in villages and surrounding areas who were also struggling to find a way to make appointments.
Now, Candice along with a team from the coach company are bringing people to and from their appointments even in the evening.
She says they are still lacking support from the government:
"I think the issue is we have been incorrectly categorized. So we are seen to be transport, but we have never dealt with people from that department.
"So, we haven't had a mister in charge of coaching which means we've not had someone from high up representing us.
"We have had some contact with the department of transport who have encouraged the department for Culture, Media and Sport to try and support us where they can.
"But we don't fall under the leisure bracket, so not only are we falling between the funding gaps we don't fit into the government areas."
"We have been told we run some essential services but we are not essential enough and then we also aren't categorized as hospitality so we can't get help there.
"Coach transport is about peoples social mobility, and I really think it is essential, its essential to people who use us too."