A FLOUNDERING campaign to get a minibus for elderly people in Blackbird Leys has received a much-needed boost from a local councillor.

Last summer Longlands Care Home, in Balfour Road, launched a fundraising project for a wheelchair-adapted bus, with the help of elderly social group Friendleys.

It aimed to raise at least £13,000 for the vehicle, which would enable some of its 48 residents to go shopping in Oxford and on other trips.

Donations have been slow so far, but the campaign has had its first major breakthrough, with a £1,500 donation from Labour city councillor Linda Smith, who met residents, along with Friendleys members, for the first time on Wednesday. The money came from her annual ward allowance.

Ms Smith said: “You hear too much about older people being isolated at home, so groups like this are really important.

“I was really shocked to find out Oxfordshire County Council had reduced the budget available for residents to access transport.

“Life doesn’t stop just because you go into a care home. You can’t just ‘warehouse’ people.

“Staff were telling me about how they have to make do with their own cars and minicabs. They think it’s scandalous.

“Any fundraising effort takes a lot of hard work and it won’t be easy, but everyone is really committed to the project.”

Longlands is run by the Orders of St John Care Trust, which has given its official backing to the project.

A Justgiving page for online donations is planned.

Activities co-ordinator Angela Lindsay said the overall cost could be more than £13,000 to ensure the vehicle is suitable for any resident that wants to use it.

She said: “For those who want to go out but are restricted by a wheelchair it’s really bad – everybody should have the right to go out.

“The project has had a bit of a slow start but now that word of mouth is getting out and we have had a couple of fetes at the home, the campaign seems to be getting bigger.

“Linda coming along and donating money is amazing and has given us the sense that actually, this is going somewhere now.”

Residents at Longlands have established a firm friendship with the Friendleys group, which has met on Wednesdays at Blackbird Leys Community Centre over the past year.

The campaign was the idea of founder Liz Helliwell, of Kestrel Crescent, who runs Friendleys.

MP for Oxford East Andrew Smith gave his blessing to the project in July.

Mrs Helliwell said: “People should be getting behind the project because the people in Longlands might one day be them.”

To donate call Angela Lindsay on 07865 005503.