Block Aid repair Bolton COG minibus for free leaving charity 'gobsmacked'

Bolton Children’s Opportunity Group (COG) is a charity providing a range of services for children with and without special educational needs and disabilities.

It runs two minibuses to bring children into the town centre to access different groups and activities.

One of the buses for the "Nursery Group" is currently supported by a five-year grant from the National Lottery Community Fund. 

However the bus for the "Nurture Group" is funded solely by COG and it has been out of action since April due to a broken timing belt causing damage to its engine.

Alfie watering seeds at the Nurture Group (Image: Bolton COG)

One of the trustees of the charity, Mary Wheatcroft, contacted Block Aid - a haulier and drainage specialist based in Longsight, Manchester, who she has family ties to – in the hope that they might be able to help.

Mrs Wheatcroft had the intention of finding out if there was anything Block Aid could do to help, perhaps by means of a donation towards the minibus fund the charity had already set up.

To the charity’s surprise, Block Aid generously offered completely fix and service the minibus, along with the promise that they will continue to MOT and service it in the future.

Annette Dodd, a fellow trustee of COG, said: “It would have cost the charity several thousand pounds to rectify the problems, money the charity didn’t have.

Poppy creating miniature pizzas at the Nurture Group (Image: Bolton COG)

“So, we created a minibus fund, and had raised about £2,000, but it would have taken some time to raise all the funds needed to carry out the work.

“We had no idea they would offer to pick the bus up, take it back to their depot in Longsight, Manchester, and give it the once over. 

“The next we heard was that they had acquired a reconditioned engine, installed it, fitted a new alternator, serviced the retracking step, given the whole bus the once over and valeted it before returning it to us.

“To say we are gobsmacked by their generosity is an understatement and we can’t thank them enough for what they have done for us.”

Mrs Dodd says that the charity will be attaching a decal to the bus to recognise Block Aid’s support.

Mason painting with water at the Nurture Group (Image: Bolton COG)

Pat Cassidy, a director at Block Aid, said: “We’ve got a family member who is on the board of trustees at COG.

"We were approached to help because they had no other funding and were struggling to get around.

“We’ve recently built a new MOT garage.

"We managed to source a new engine and we’ve given it all new breaks and calipers.

“It’s an amazing thing to help people when you can.

"Especially with how things are with the cost-of-living and things like that.

“We have a family member who has a daughter with Down's syndrome so we’re acutely aware of the difficulties families can face.

“We were lucky we were in a position to be able to help.”

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