Clan secures £113k of funding for new low emission patient transport
Clan Cancer Support has received £113,030 for two low emission vehicles to transport cancer patients to hospital appointments in Aberdeen, reducing the organisation’s annual CO2 output by seven tonnes per year.
A zero emissions nine-seater minibus has been secured as part of funding worth £76,535 from The Plugged in Communities grant which is supported by Energy Savings Trust and Transport Scotland.
The minibus will be based at Clan Haven, the charity’s bed and breakfast accommodation in Aberdeen, which offers 27 bedrooms and communal facilities for anyone travelling to the city for medical appointments.
Guests staying at The Haven can use Clan’s free daily transport service with drivers completing up to 25 return trips to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary each day.
The charity has also received a five-seater hybrid vehicle to be based at its Elgin centre thanks to £36,495 of funding from The Scottish Government, tsiMoray, Moray Local Action Group, The Gordon and Ena Baxter Foundation and The Adam Family Foundation. It will be used to transport cancer patients accessing Clan’s Moray support services to medical appointments in Aberdeen, Elgin and Inverness.
Duncan Peter, Clan Cancer Support’s head of income generation, said: “As an organisation we are committed to upgrading our transport fleet to electric or hybrid models as part of our net-zero strategy and this funding has enabled us to accelerate that transition.
“Our transport service works around our client’s schedule to take the stress out of getting to and from hospital and is relied on by hundreds of people across the north of Scotland who need to travel for treatments and appointments during their cancer journey.
"We are extremely grateful to our funders for helping us secure these fantastic vehicles which will provide comfortable and energy efficient transport for our Haven guests and our Moray clients for years to come.”
Clan has been delivering free transport to Haven guests travelling to ARI for more than 11 years with drivers accruing an average of 15,000 miles per year for journeys between Clan House, the charity’s Westburn Road premises, and the hospital.
Clan Haven provides accommodation for more than 400 people each year with many guests travelling from Orkney and Shetland to stay in the home from home accommodation while they undergo cancer treatment.
Heather Quin, senior programme manager, Energy Saving Trust said: “We are delighted to see the Plugged-in Communities grant fund help Clan Cancer Support, and other community transport services, to purchase zero-emission vehicles and enable positive change by creating more sustainable travel within local communities. Energy Saving Trust strives to make transport more inclusive and accessible to all, by supporting a just transition to net zero.”
A Transport Scotland spokesperson added: “It’s great to see Clan Cancer Support now benefiting from their new electric minibus. Scottish Ministers recognise the social and economic benefits that community transport can offer to communities across Scotland.
“As well as contributing to reduced isolation and increased inclusion – zero emission community transport gives more people access to sustainable transport options, protecting our environment and helping reduce transport emissions.”
