A community transport service which has been running since 1988 has come to an end after nearly four decades of supporting young people with additional needs.

Volunteers from the Rushen Round Table have been providing weekly transport for members attending Phab Youth Club in Douglas.

The service, which helped young people from the south of the island attend and access social activities, officially came to an end last week.

This initiative was first introduced back in the 1980s by Terry Osborne, who was the Rushen Round Table’s community service chairman at the time.

He recognised the need for reliable transport that would ensure young people could regularly attend the club’s activities.

What was a small-scale effort quickly grew into an essential service that many families came to rely on.

In its early years, the group transported members to Masham Court on Victoria Road.

As the club began to develop, the Phab service later moved to Cronk Y Berry Primary School, where it continued to operate for many years.

The success of the initiative saw other services emerge in different parts of the island, such as Ramsey and Peel, although these routes ceased operating during the 2000s.

Over the years, numerous volunteers dedicated their time to the weekly journeys, ensuring consistency and reliability for those who relied on the service.

These efforts went far beyond transport, with the charity organising fundraising on multiple occasions to improve the experience for passengers.

In 2012, the group secured funding for a dedicated vehicle, affectionately known as ‘The Red Bus’.

It quickly became a familiar and much-loved part of the service.

The bus symbolised the commitment of volunteers and the strong community spirit behind the initiative.

Now, both the vehicle and the volunteers who operated it are stepping down, marking the end of an era for the organisation and the families it supported.

The bus itself was nearing the end of its service life and, with the Rushen Round Table no longer having the membership numbers it once did, there were simply not enough volunteers available to sustain the service.

Former members, families and staff have paid tribute to the impact of the service, highlighting the opportunities it created for young people to socialise, build confidence and form lasting friendships.

For many, the weekly trips were about far more than transport. They provided a vital link to a supportive community and a space where young people could feel included and valued.

While the service has now come to a close, its legacy is expected to endure through the lives it touched over nearly 40 years. The dedication of volunteers and the opportunities they helped create have left a lasting mark on the island’s community.

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