18 October 2023. News from the Chairman
Your community bus needs more drivers. If you could be interested in one of the great volunteering roles in our villages, please get in touch. It’s not onerous. One day a month would be great. You will need a D1 category on your driving licence, but you probably already have this, as long as you passed your driving test before 1997.
The bus is a key part of the infrastructure of our community providing regular services around Cornwall and Devon to destinations including Plymouth, Liskeard, Truro, Exeter, Totnes and Tavistock, as well as offering a host of fascinating excursions. As one of our volunteer drivers you could soon be playing a key role in this operation.
We have a busy schedule in November. Details of the timetable are available in Nut Tree, on the village noticeboards and on the DaSRA (Downderry and Seaton Residents Association) website www.dasra.co.uk, and please remember, the community bus is there for everyone, for all age groups.
Trips this month include Looe on Friday, November 3 (departure time from Broads Yard is 11.30), Tavistock on Friday 10, Truro on Wednesday 15, the last before Christmas, Carkeel on Friday 24 for shopping (Waitrose, Lidl, Tamar View Nurseries), and Exeter on Wednesday 29 including for the Christmas market.
For the last two months, September and October, the community bus has been offering a twice-weekly service to Tredinnick Farm Shop, as one way of trying to lessen the impact of the closure of the village shop, Downderry Stores. Sadly there has been little support. As a result we have decided to stop the Thursday service with immediate effect. The Monday service (departure time 9.15am) will continue to the end of November, but it will also have to close without more support.
For all passenger bookings please call Bev Brighton on 01503 250944. For 300 Club and details of the monthly draw call Jo Woodley on 01503 250489. For any other questions, including on driver recruitment, please contact Kevin Done, chairman on 01752 466313 (I have NOT moved to Plymouth, it’s a BT glitch!) or by email at kevindone@hotmail.com.
19 September 2023. News from the Chairman
Great news! The Community Bus, or to give the official title, the Downderry & District Community Bus Association, has embarked on the momentous process of ordering a replacement bus. We are hoping to take delivery by the end of the year. Our current bus has served us well, but it is entering its tenth year, and it is time to change. We work all the time to save and to raise the funds to finance the next generation bus helped by the efforts of our wonderful 300 Club, organised by Jo Woodley, and by our Friends of the Bus supporters, now led by Sandra Pearce.
Deviock Parish Council has recently agreed to help us in the transition and has voted to give us a grant of £2,000 from its Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) fund. We are very grateful to have received the backing of the parish councillors, and their significant recognition, that the bus is an important part of Deviock’s community infrastructure.
The community bus association was founded 35 years ago, and we need all the help we can get to keep us running and in good shape! It is a huge effort for a small community to finance such an undertaking, and support takes many forms from legacies left to us in wills, to donations, fund-raising (300 Club and Friends of the Bus), and grants, most recently from the Cornwall Community Foundation, Cornwall Council and now Deviock Parish Council. Thank you to everyone and to all our volunteers. The work never stops.
We have a very busy month in October with some great trips planned. Please see our timetable for details (available in Nut Tree, on the website www.dasra.co.uk, and on the village noticeboards), but highlights include services to Exeter, Looe, Totnes, Truro, Carkeel and our excursion to Buckfast Abbey, as well as the regular services to Plymouth, Liskeard and Tredinnick Farm Shop.
For all passenger bookings please call Bev Brighton on 01503 250944. For 300 Club and details of the monthly draw call Jo Woodley on 01503 250489. For any other questions please contact Kevin Done, chairman on 01752 466313 (I have NOT moved to Plymouth, it’s a BT glitch!) or by email at kevindone@hotmail.com.
Chairman’s Report for Downderry & District Community Bus Association AGM held 08.11.22 at St Nicolas Church.
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The Downderry & District Community Bus Association is a voluntary organisation - Charity Number 1000967 - formed to serve the welfare and needs of the Downderry, Hessenford, Narkus and Seaton communities. The community bus provides a regular weekly link with both Plymouth and Liskeard and an early morning service between Seaton and Downderry during school terms. Other popular, regular destinations include Truro, Tavistock, Totnes, Exeter and Looe. The timetable and details of monthly excursions, usually on a Friday, are available in the Nut Tree monthly newsletter, on local websites (including this one, see below) and on the village noticeboards.
Concessionary fare cards can be used on the Plymouth, Liskeard and Trago Mills routes. Under 15s travel at half price and there is no charge for under 5s. A gentle reminder to all passengers who use discretionary passes on our registered routes, namely the Plymouth, Liskeard, Trago Mills and Seaton services. Can you please try to remember always to have your pass with you, as it is possible that an inspector could choose to come on board during a journey to check up, that our claims for reimbursement are being made properly. Many thanks.
To book a seat please ring Bev Brighton on weekdays between 9am and 5pm on 01503 250944. You can also support your bus by joining the 300 Club and buying a monthly draw ticket. It only costs £12 for the year. To join please contact Jo Woodley on 01503 250489, or email here: or come to one of our sociable Tea and Cake afternoons usually held at Downderry & Seaton Village Hall. Check the events diary for dates.There is always a raffle and the ever popular puzzle and book stall. Phone Jane Mather for bus hire bookings by affiliated groups on 01503 250840, For any other matters please contact Kevin Done, Chairman, on 01752 466313 or Jem Hall, Vice Chairman, on 01503 261497. We are always looking to recruit new drivers and helpers.
