A VITAL service in Yate is celebrating after receiving a generous donation. 

Shopmobility South Gloucestershire, based in Yate, is celebrating receiving a donation from the customers of the Winterbourne Co-op.

The Shopmobility scheme received a donation of £2058.70 from the fund.

Trustees Linda Bannister and chair Janet Biggin received the cheque from the Co-op on behalf of the Shopmobility scheme. 

The service provides mobility scooter and wheelchair hire on a daily and longer term basis to help people who have limited mobility to retain their independence and to use the facilities of Yate Shopping Centre and to access other services.

Those with a concessionary bus pass can use it for their daily scooter hire.

Shopmobility project manager Sheridan Crew said: ''I would like to express my appreciation to Co-op customers for their generosity in supporting us. 

Gazette Series: Shopmobility scheme in Yate celebrates a generous donation from customers of the Winterbourne Co-op"The funding is essential to help maintain our service as the only shopmobility scheme within South Gloucestershire.

"We would like to thank the Co-op  in recognising the importance of enabling those with physical or hidden disability the ability to have access  to services, undertake activities via use of a mobility scooter.''

Chair Janet Biggin said:  "Here at Shopmobility we are very grateful for the funding we have received, from the Co-op, which enables us to do more in allowing us to offer motability scooters and wheel chairs to people, which helps in reducing isolation for those with mobility issues or just needing to hire a wheel chair following surgery, or going on holiday.

"We are very keen to advertise what we do to the wider community, in making people aware of what we can offer and so allow people more independence."

Last year the charity celebrated 20 years of service in the Yate and Thornbury areas. 

In July 2003 a meeting was called by the late Keith Holloway, from Thornbury, about the possibility of setting up a Shopmobility Scheme in South Gloucestershire.

He had seen such a scheme elsewhere and wanted to set one up in the area. 

It took some time to get the scheme off the ground, and it began operations in 2006, with Sue Gawler as the chair and Sheridan Crew the project manager.

Shopmobility South Glos is now based in Yate Library in the shopping centre.