GREATY BUS SCHEME HELPS LOCAL PENSIONERS

A group of organisations involved in the regeneration of Great Homer Street have teamed up for the benefit of the local community, to ensure that residents at St Martins Mews can get to a supermarket each week.   

The team leading Project Jennifer, including St. Modwen, Sainsbury’s, West Everton Community Council and the Neighbourhoods team at Liverpool City Council, have clubbed together to fund the Pensioners Shopping Project. The scheme is a weekly bus service that takes residents from St Martins Mews to a shop of their choice to do their weekly grocery shopping.

Mrs Caveney, a resident from St Martins Mews, said: “There is only one shop nearby so if we didn’t have the bus we’d have to go to town and get a taxi back.” Another resident, Mrs Gallon, added: “We’ve been waiting for the new shops for a long time. I grew up around here and this area used to be really busy so it will be good to see it coming back to life.”

Jane Corbett, councillor for Everton, said:  “I know how valuable this service is to the people at St Martins Mews who rely on the bus every week to be able to get to a supermarket. The Great Homer Street regeneration will help breathe new life into this area and is a development much wanted and needed by the residents of this community.”

Joanne Matthews, team leader in the Neighbourhoods team at Liverpool City Council, is responsible for running the project. She said: “During this period of change around Great Homer Street, we wanted to ensure that the pensioners at St Martins Mews were still able to get to a supermarket for their weekly shop. There currently isn’t anywhere for them to go locally and the area is in desperate need of its own supermarket. I know the residents are looking forward to the new Sainsbury’s store opening as it will be right on their doorstep. Without the support of our sponsors, this much-needed bus service wouldn’t be possible so we are truly grateful to all those involved.”

Paul Batho, projects director at St. Modwen, said:“As we gear up to start work on site this Summer, we wanted to show our continuing support for the residents who have waited so long for this scheme and we were delighted to be able to support such a worthy cause.”

West Everton Community Council has also supported the scheme. Ann Roach, chair at West Everton Community Council,  said “The area has one of the lowest levels of car ownership and highest levels of deprivation but we are a community that cares and supports each other so we have been delighted to be able to help with this project. It has enabled our elderly residents to access good quality and affordable food whilst our own eagerly awaited district centre is being developed”.

For more information visit http://www.greathomerstreet.co.uk/