For many years The Oxygen Works provided a valuable and valued transportation service to bring clients to and from our Burnett Road centre. Following the impact from the Covid-19 pandemic and flood that closed the centre for several months; we have not been in a position to return this service in an equitable and sustainable manner despite our best efforts.
We are delighted to announce that we have been liaising with Partnerships for Wellbeing (P4W) and have agreed to transfer ownership of our accessible minibus to them by the end of this month. While we have mixed emotions about seeing such a valuable asset leave our ownership, we recognise that P4W are better placed to deliver an improved and expanded service for the community; including clients of The Oxygen Works.
P4W has been operating as a charity since 2004 and a core element of their work is providing a reliable, community transport service which currently operates Monday-Friday between 09.00am and 4.30pm. We have been delighted to work alongside Jeff and Fiona from P4W to look at ways that this transfer can be of benefit to both of our charities and the wider community.
Our minibus was gifted to us in 2018 from the Highland Cross – a funder of many of the accessible and charity vehicles required to support the Highland community. We have liaised with Calum Munro and the Highland Cross committee to seek their support with discussions between ourselves and P4W. We wanted to ensure the Highland Cross were included in our conversations as we have been so fortunate to have their support over so many years. They were delighted to see us working hard to ensure that, while the service was no longer viable to be run directly out of The Oxygen Works, that we were passionate about ensuring that the vehicle remained in service and available to the local community.
“Highland Cross was delighted to learn of the proposal to transfer ownership of the vehicle funded by the 2018 event to Partnerships for Wellbeing. Co-operation and collaboration of this kind is a wonderful example of the spirit of community that makes Highland Cross happen to bring benefit to folk in need in Highland. We wish both these great Highland charities well in their important work.” Calum Munro MBE, Organising Secretary, Highland Cross
Our CEO Leigh-Ann says “It is with a heavy heart that we had to face the reality that we could no longer sustain the return of a transportation service directly at The Oxygen Works. The minibus has not been in full operation since 2020 and to see such an asset sit idle was nothing short of heart-breaking. When we entered into conversations with P4W, it quickly become apparent that they share the same passion to support the community that we do but that they are ideally placed to provide a sustainable transportation service. I cannot speak highly enough of the work they are doing to bridge the gap of accessible and affordable transportation in the area.”
Clients of The Oxygen Works, and the wider community who require transport services can contact P4W at their transport office on 01463 226662 where Fiona, Hayley to Nicola will be happy to assist.
