Oxford: Fundraiser as charity loses £2,000 to bust company

Oxfordshire-based Heyfordian Travel ceased trading suddenly on Tuesday (August 1) citing rising costs and driver shortages.

It has had a devastating impact on Barton Community Association which organises day trips to the seaside for disadvantaged families in Oxford.

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They had planned to go to Brighton with Heyfordian travel on Wednesday (August 2) but were forced to cancel at the last minute leaving families devastated.

Secretary Sue Holden explained that Barton Community Association now needed to find the funds to reimburse those booked onto the trip.

She added that the bus company had also taken payments for other day trips organised later in the year, totally over £2,000.

Ms Holden said: “We would be delighted to hear from anybody.

“By making a donation you will guarantee that families will be able to get away from Barton this summer.”

If you would like to make a donation, you can access the Oxford Mail’s fundraiser here.

The Dovecote Voluntary Parent Committee, a charity based in Blackbird Leys and Greaterleys has also set up its own fundraiser to recuperate lost funds after Heyfordian Travel went bust.

The group organises various activities for children and families in the area, including baby groups, after school clubs and summer playschemes.

They had booked a day trip to Drayton Manor Park and Zoo later in August.

Children and staff at the Dovecote Centre in Greaterleys

Children and families services manager, Carol Richards said: “We were invoiced for a coach on Monday (July 31) but we learnt the day after that they had stopped trading.

“We are now £675 down and I can imagine it will cost us more to book another coach at the last minute.”

She added: “We have been left with lots of disappointed children and families who were very much looking forward to this trip - for some of them, their only trip out this summer.

“We would like to try and raise some money to book with another coach company so that our trip can go ahead.”

To donate to The Dovecote’s fundraiser, you can access the JustGiving page here.

Both Barton Community Association and The Dovecote subsidise their trips out of Oxford to make then more accessible to families and elderly people in the area.

Heyfordian Travel had been operating in Oxfordshire for more than 75 years.

Families waiting for their coach to take them to Brighton on Wednesday but it never arrived (Image: Stacey Breach)

In a statement released on its website on Tuesday (August 1), the company said it had ceased trading with the ‘utmost regret.’

It said: "We are so sorry after 76 years of trading that unfortunately it has come to this.

 "We just faced too many headwinds with inflation, rising costs, driver shortages and having massive interest charges on our bounce back loans that it has become impossible to continue."

Heyfordian Travel has been contacted for comment.

Barton Community Association

Barton Community Association is an Oxford based charity dedicated to improving the lives of people in the area.

They do this through “the promotion of well-being, the continued support for employment and by providing a central meeting hub for community and support activities.”

The group was established in 1946 and became a registered charity 20 years later in 1966.

They now have around 400 members who pay a nominal £1 membership fee.

Barton Community Association organise many events throughout the year ranging from basketball games to employment advice.

They also run a series of trips out of Oxford to the seaside, Christmas markets and cultural attractions.

Community development manager, Tanya Field said: “The trips to the seaside are one of the highlights of the year.

“Barton Community Association subsidises them and in an area of deprivation this often is the only opportunity for families to get out of Oxfordshire in the summer holidays.

“They make a big difference to the families in the area.”

The charity is run by secretary Sue Holden who has held the position since 2004.

She said: “Barton Community Association forms a very important part of my life as I truly believe in what the Association stands for – giving a voice to each and every one of our residents, everyone who is part of our community.

“And behind everything we do our aim is to improve the quality of life for everyone.

“I am a great believer in providing opportunities for those of us who want to experience independence, progress and success.” 

The Dovecote Voluntary Parent Association

The Dovecote Voluntary Parent Committee is made up of local parents committed to helping young children and families living in Blackbird Leys and Greater Leys.  

They provide a range of services all with the aim of improving outcomes and life chances for people in the area.

The Dovecote Voluntary Parent Committee is particularly focused on supporting children with impairments and families experiencing multiple deprivations and social exclusion.

Blackbird Leys has been identified as one of the areas of Oxford with more than 400 children living in poverty, equivalent to over 30 per cent of the child population.

The group was set up in 1996 and is a registered charity that relies solely on grants, funding and donations.

The charity is based at the Dovecote Centre in Blackbird Leys.

They work through consultations with the local community, informal feedback and suggestion boxes.

According to a statement on its website: “Experience has taught us the most effective method of obtaining responses from users is through face to face contact, taking the time to explain why evaluation is important; talking through processes whilst providing families with an opportunity for someone to listen to their views has a real impact.”

The chairwoman of The Dovecote Voluntary Parent Committee is Rachel Partlett with Amelie Prior as the secretary.