Our News

LATEST NEWS... February 2024

LATEST NEWS... January 2024

A ROUND-UP OF OUR CURRENT AND PAST NEWS...

LONELINESS & ISOLATION

click on each image to enlarge

Screenshot_20230306_181631_LinkedIn
Isolation

CTLA's MARK EVANS ADDRESSES LEWES CLIMATE HUB

June 2023

As part of its travel season, ‘Are we there yet? Imagining travel in Lewes 2030’, Lewes Climate Hub invited Mark Evans of CTLA to talk about the future of buses in the town and beyond, looking at issues such the health of public transport post-Covid, the role of community transport to support wellbeing and social inclusion, and the best incentives to get more people using the bus.

Juliet Oxborrow, director at Lewes Climate Hub, said: “it was great having Mark to give his perspective on the future of buses for rural towns like Lewes. We loved his insight into what we need to do as communities not only to protect the bus services we already have but to boost their growth as a critical solution to climate change.”

About Lewes Climate Hub  (click logo above)

Lewes Climate Hub is open Wed-Sat, 11am-3pm at Lewes House, 32 High Street, Lewes, BN7 2LU. Details at www.lewesclimate hub.org or email info@lewesclimatehub.org, Or visit Facebook – @lewesclimatehub.

TRANSPORT FOR EVERYONE

Click image to enlarge

Screenshot_20230221_133610_LinkedIn
By John MacDonald, Director for Scotland Community Transport

Social isolation is a universal issue: in every country and every community there are people who, through no fault of their own, are lonely and isolated.  It’s a huge issue and one which is deserving of time and attention.

To read more, click here…

OUR SUMMER NEWSLETTER

Click image to read

CTLA TRAVEL CLUB OUTING TO SINGING HILLS, HASSOCKS

February 2023

DSCF3214

CTLA Travel Club started February with a travel group outing to the Singing Hills Golf Club for a wonderful lunch and social afternoon amidst blue sky and beautiful Sussex landscape. Singing Hills is a very popular outing for the CTLA Travel Group.

You can register as a member for CTLA Travel Club by calling our office on 01273 571332.

CTLA VIP PASSENGER OF THE MONTH...

July 2023

CTLA was privileged to meet Barbara Crang at the recent Peacehaven Summer Fair who kindly stopped by to offer her big thank you to drivers Laurence and Alan who have been her drivers for the past 14 years of using the CTLA community bus service. Barbara also made a very kind donation of £5 to CTLA to help keep the service on the road… Bless you Barbara 🙂

TESCO PLEDGE SUPPORT TO COMMUNITY TRANSPORT

March 2023

Tesco pledge their commitment to the community with a £5,000 grant to help keep local community transport running.

Tesco as a trusted major local retailer recognises the importance of shoppers being able to reach town supermarkets and local stores to shop for the food, groceries, and household goods they and their family needs.

Many of Tesco customers travel by car, but many do not own cars and therefore depend very much on having access to public transport, community transport, or taxis.

Chris Lane, Tesco Extra superstore manager, (Lewes) said…

“We are thrilled to be able to provide a £5,000 donation to CTLA.”

“Tesco takes its role, service, and commitment in the community very seriously. We understand the need for customers to reach shops and we greatly appreciate the role CTLA community transport as a charity plays, enabling people to travel and reach shops for their foods, groceries and household items.”

“Tesco was particularly impressed how some CTLA transport services ‘go that extra mile’ for the community by collecting people from their home and returning them back to their home.” Chris Lane added.

CTLA is an independent charity and provider of community transport services across East Sussex for the past 20 years. More than 50% of CTLA passengers are elderly, students, disabled, or disadvantaged without personal transport. Community transport is especially important for those living in outlying areas where mainstream bus services either cannot reach or have been cut due to viability and cost saving issues. CTLA provides community bus services from East Saltdean to the Lewes and Uckfield area, from Eastbourne and Polegate to Seaford, Peacehaven, Newhaven and outlying communities and rural areas.

Mark Evans, General Manager at CTLA said…

“In the wake of rising expenses, fuel and inflation, the cost of operating and maintaining a fleet of buses to provide the community transport services East Sussex needs, has been immensely challenging …and at times, close to impossible. In this respect we speak for every community transport provider across the country. We are therefore grateful to Tesco for their generosity and kindness to step forward with a grant to help CTLA community transport meet those financial needs and keep the community transport wheels turning. Thank you, Tesco.”

CTLA works very closely with local councils to help fund and operate community transport services across East Sussex. The Tesco grant is a valuable contribution towards the escalating cost of bus fleet and maintenance costs.

CTLA WINS COMMUNITY SERVICE AWARD

May 2023

CTLA was delighted to win 3rd place at the 2023 Seahaven Business Awards. We were nominated from 10 nominees and numerous applicants and happy to take this back to the amazing CTLA team who really make it all happen for us and the community.

JOIN THE TEAM VACANCIES

January 2023

CTLA seeks VOLUNTEER DRIVERS willing to donate their time to join our driver team.

This is a part time flexible role working around your lifestyle. You won’t be alone. Working closely with our management and administrative team you will be trained and well supported in your endeavours and you would be a valued member of the CTLA team.

We work hard but it’s a fun and friendly environment to be part of. If you have what it takes and seek a worthwhile role within an essential community service, then contact us emailing HR@ctla.org.uk

DONATE US YOUR NECTAR POINTS

January 2023

thank-you-275x236

CTLA has signed up to Nectar Donate, a new initiative launched this month from the team at Nectar and Crowdfunder. This means you can now donate any or all of your Nectar points to us and help keep the wheels of our life-changing charity turning.

All you need to do is to link your Nectar card to your Crowdfunder account and then simply visit our Charity’s Crowdfunder page. Then when you get to the “payment method” screen choose the option “Donate with Nectar! The best thing is that it won’t cost you or us a penny as Crowdfunder have kindly waived platform fees for anyone donating their points to us.

1000 Nectar points will enable us to provide a single journey on our Dial-a-Ride service or 7000 Nectar points will fund a Travel Club trip helping a lonely or vulnerable member of the local community to enjoy the social contact which is vital for healthy lifestyles, something that many of us take for granted.

And don’t forget as you continue to shop at Sainsbury’s, eBay, Esso, Argos, Just eat and many other participating businesses all those points soon add up and you will have the option of donating more points to help us to continue to provide our vital services within the local community.

CTLA DRIVER TRAINING LAUNCHED ACROSS EAST SUSSEX

January 2023

It is so important that your paid staff and volunteers are appropriately trained to ensure the comfort and safety of your members, passengers and clients. The CTLA MiDAS (Minibus and Diver Awareness Training) scheme is a nationally recognised assessment and training scheme for minibus drivers and passenger assistants with East Sussex schools and colleges, care centres, and county community transport operators… For more information, click here

CTLA SANTA BUS DELIGHTS LOCAL NEIGHBOURHOODS AND SCHOOLS

December 2022

Screenshot_20221201_171935_WhatsApp

The annual CTLA Santa Bus was a big success visiting Newhaven, Peacehaven and Denton over the Christmas period. The Santa Bus was also invited to a local school. Children and families could have their photo taken with Santa.

MORE THAN JUST COMMUNITY TRANSPORT...

January 2023

Our latest article highlighting the importance of community transport to local people that people perhaps most don’t realise.

Click on the image to enlarge.