This is FACTS - How we Started, What we've done, Where we are going
FACTS was founded in 1990 at the instigation of the County Council, and began its first service in February 1991 with a minibus borrowed from the MS Society. It operated initially from a borrowed office at Yetton Ward House, before eventually obtaining its current premises in the Portakabin on Garrison Lane Car park.
The Service acquired its own first minibus in March 1992 and has served more than 900 people over the years, taking them to a wide variety of destinations within the Felixstowe area. It has become a lifeline for people who without it would be virtually housebound. The FACTS Bus enables them to get to the supermarket or the surgery, to club meetings and Day Centres, and to visit friends and relations.
In 1997 the purchase of our second minibus, the Mercedes Sprinter equipped with a hydralic lift, followed four years later by the Renault Kangoo, allowed us to further increase the services we can offer the people of Felixstowe. For several years a programme of excursions has run at weekends - as well as evening theatre visits. The publication of the lastest programme is eagerly awaited by very many members.
Another development was the introduction of the Community Car Scheme. Volunteer drivers are paid their expenses to use their own vehicles to take passengers.
2003 was another landmark year for FACTS when we were the first Dial a Ride scheme in Suffolk to purchase a purpose built lowering floor minibus. This bus has the benefit to our older passengers of no steps to negotiate and wheelchairs access by ramp instead of a lift.
The Service acquired its own first minibus in March 1992 and has served more than 900 people over the years, taking them to a wide variety of destinations within the Felixstowe area. It has become a lifeline for people who without it would be virtually housebound. The FACTS Bus enables them to get to the supermarket or the surgery, to club meetings and Day Centres, and to visit friends and relations.
In 1997 the purchase of our second minibus, the Mercedes Sprinter equipped with a hydralic lift, followed four years later by the Renault Kangoo, allowed us to further increase the services we can offer the people of Felixstowe. For several years a programme of excursions has run at weekends - as well as evening theatre visits. The publication of the lastest programme is eagerly awaited by very many members.
Another development was the introduction of the Community Car Scheme. Volunteer drivers are paid their expenses to use their own vehicles to take passengers.
2003 was another landmark year for FACTS when we were the first Dial a Ride scheme in Suffolk to purchase a purpose built lowering floor minibus. This bus has the benefit to our older passengers of no steps to negotiate and wheelchairs access by ramp instead of a lift.
