SOS Luton Bus
17 March 2010, 05:00 | Updated: 17 March 2010, 06:56
Residents and partygoers will get their first glimpse of Luton's new SOS Bus in action as they visit the town centre on St Patrick's Day, March 17th.
The SOS Bus project is intended to create, in our opinion, one of the best mobile first aid and community vehicles anywhere in the UK.
The bright yellow converted single decker bus, originally donated by Arriva-Shires, will be parked in St Georges' Square from 9pm - 3am every Friday and Saturday night.
It will supply a "place of safety when one is needed" during Luton's night time economy.
Working alongside the SOS Bus is a matching Vauxhall Vivaro mini bus which will be used to transport vulnerable people back to the SOS Luton Bus from anywhere in the town centre and High Town areas.
The SOS Luton Bus project is resourced entirely by CRB checked, uniformed, highly motivated, fully trained volunteers.
So far 70 volunteers have been recruited, and, along with many other skills, East of England Ambulance Service will be training them all to be community First Responders.
The SOS Bus volunteers will work alongside Lutonsafe's Pub and Clubs, Luton CCTV, the street Pastors and all the emergency services to keep people safe.
PC Ruth Connelly is one of the partners in the project. She's been telling Heart:
"For the last three Christmas periods we have had a great response to a pilot for the SOS Luton Bus, codenamed Operation Conch, which was in St Georges Street. We know the pilot has saved three lives so far as the SOS Luton Bus is going one step further by providing a permanent safe haven on Friday and Saturday nights in the town where vulnerable, injured, intoxicated or lost people can find help in arranging transport home."
To listen to the full interview with Ruth Connelly click here
Carly Stokes, from The Solutions Partnership, told Heart:
"A lot of us do go out, we have a good time. But unfortunately things do happen sometimes that we do would all like to try to avoid. Which is why we want to be here, just as extra little point of safety, if you've got into trouble somehow you can come and get help from us."
To hear Carly speaking more about the SOS Bus click here
If you want more information about the SOS Bus, or want to book it, contact Carly Stokes on 01582 480770 or complete the form on the website www.sosbusluton.org.uk
Make sure you join Babs from the Breakfast Show at the launch of The SOS Bus, at 2pm in St George's Square!