A grand day out by bus
Stagecoach Cumbria and North Lancashire is supporting older people to travel by bus for a series of Grand Days Out at local attractions. We thought this was such a brilliant idea, we asked Tom Waterhouse, managing director at Stagecoach Cumbria and North Lancashire, to tell us more…
“Social isolation is an increasing problem and, while public transport offers the perfect opportunity for people to get out and about, for many it is too big a step to take alone – especially since the pandemic.
In the wake of Covid-19, Stagecoach Cumbria and North Lancashire came up with an idea to both try and help tackle social isolation by encouraging elderly people to use their free bus passes to visit new places and make new friends, but also to reintroduce people back onto the bus network.
Much of the elderly population was fearful of returning to public transport following the pandemic, afraid to mingle with others in such closed spaces. The Grand Day Out initiative aimed to show how safe and easy it is to use the bus, while also providing a boost to local visitor attractions and venues across the region, who were also struggling in the wake of the pandemic.
“It means a lot getting on that bus. I like to be independent, but I have lost my confidence since Covid.”
– Annette, Grand Day Out participant
We couldn’t have begun to imagine the scheme’s success, and it has now evolved beyond anything we ever hoped for. It is now a regular way to boost social interactions and encourage the older population to get out and about. It is delivered by our team at Stagecoach Cumbria and North Lancashire, with support from Age UK in both Cumbria and Lancashire and local businesses too.
By working with Age UK, we are able to reach the vulnerable and wider elderly population by tapping into the network of people that the charity supports. Age UK doesn’t have its own transport, and so the Grand Day Out scheme allows it to take its clients to places it would otherwise not be able to.
A trip to Morecambe with Age UK
“It was a lovely day. Thank you to Stagecoach for putting it on. We had a lot of fun getting the bus and the food was excellent. What a lovely treat.”
– Dorothy, Grand Day Out participant
We are delighted that more than 300 people have so far benefited from the scheme across Cumbria and north Lancashire, and we have held 12 Grand Days Out since its launch in 2021. We are proud that this initiative is of real benefit to Cumbria, supporting its increasingly elderly and isolated rural population.
A day out in Keswick
Research by Cumbria Community Foundation in 2020 found that one-in-four people in the county are aged over 65, and that 32,000 pensioners lived alone. Half of those pensioners were also located in isolated rural areas, making them particularly vulnerable. With increasing pressure on charitable organisations, demand for informal social support is only likely to grow in the future.
Destinations for the Grand Days Out have so far included Cockermouth, Brampton, Maryport, Grasmere, Keswick, Barrow-in-Furness and Workington. The Grand Days Out have helped one pensioner make her first trip to the cinema in more than 50 years, while others saw themselves attend a world premiere.
For the elderly people who take part in the Grand Days Out, it has offered them a lifeline into the wider world. Many of those who take part now come back time and again to catch up with old friends and to make new ones.
The initiative is helping them to rebuild their confidence in bus travel, restore their independence and introduce them to the wonderful variety of attractions and venues available to visit across Cumbria and North Lancashire.
The scheme’s success is so great, that the Stagecoach Group is now rolling out the initiative nationally, with the very first Grand Day Out taking place in Wales recently. We are hoping that other regions will also use our model as a starting point and help expand the opportunity for older residents across the UK.”
“I really enjoyed looking around Wordsworth House… I look forward to these each month… I would definitely recommend days out on the bus to other pensioners. Just jump on the bus, show your bus pass and it’s a free day out.”
– John, Grand Day Out participant
This guest blog was written by Tom Waterhouse, managing director at Stagecoach Cumbria and North Lancashire.
Images: Stagecoach
