AFTER years of fundraising, Hay and District's much-loved Dial-a-Ride service will have a brand new 12-seater bus to help its 250 members get around in style.

And its new bus - which will be delivered on Monday - was paid for in part by a generous donation from one individual who contributed more than half the £37,000 needed.

Providing affordable transport for an elderly community otherwise isolated by their rural surroundings, the Dial-a-Ride service has been helping in Hay since 1995.

And the community helped raise much of the money needed for the new wheels, with a series of local events, from annual bingo nights at Clyro Court to Christmas carolling, helping Dial-a-Ride reach its total.

“We’re very grateful,” said Dial-a-Ride founder Lesley Fellowes.

“It’s a much-loved local charity; people are happy to give a few quid because they see the bus out every day.”

Ran entirely by volunteers, 23 drivers take shifts driving the bus and using their own vehicles as ‘community cars’.

In a rural area, this valuable service enables elderly members to go shopping, socialise or “whatever their needs are” said Lesley.

Always looking for new volunteers, if you are interested in helping out with Dial-a-Ride, you can call 01497 821616 or drop into its HQ at Hay’s town council offices on Broad Street.