Haulier boss donates new bus
The businessman who stumped up £1 million of his own money to pay for a village's new doctors' surgery has now donated a specially adapted bus to a care centre.
Ray Grocott, chairman of Shropshire transport firm Grocontinental, has donated the bus to Bradbury Care Centre in Whitchurch to transport local people to and from the centre.
The centre, which was under threat of closure, was re-opened last year by businesswomen Maggie Allen and Mandy Silvester.
Managers say the centre is an integral part of the Whitchurch community, acting as a hub for over 55s and younger people with disabilities.
It is open six days a week and offers professional care, a range of activities and entertainment, advice clinics, GP and district nurse visits, meals including drop-in lunches, use of the hydrotherapy pool, hairdressing and bathing.
The bus, donated on behalf of the Grocott Family Charitable Trust, will provide a much needed addition to the centre's transport services which were sorely in need of regeneration.
Earlier this year the Grocott Family Charitable Trust, set up by the owners of Whitchurch-based Grocontinental, also paid for the construction of a new doctors surgery in Prees.
Maggie Allen, Bradbury Care Centre manager, said: "This is a tremendous gesture from the charitable trust.
"We are really pleased with how many people are now using the centre, but we needed an upgraded vehicle to cope with the demand.
"Ray's generosity has been a real boost for us."
Mr Grocott said: "It's been brilliant to see this great facility coming back to life over the last year through Mandy and Maggie's hard work.
"Having reliable, comfortable vehicles so people can access the centre is so important.
"We hope that the new bus will keep them on the road for a long time."
