 Community First New Forest has taken delivery of a new supply of mopeds for its ‘Wheels to Work’ scheme.
The latest additions bring Community First New Forest’s fleet of mopeds to 36.
The successful Wheels to Work scheme covers the New Forest, Test Valley, East Hampshire and Winchester City Council regions.
Wheels to Work is designed to help young people living in these areas, aged 16 to 25, who are actively job seeking or are finding getting to work difficult due to a lack of public transport.
The young person needs to have a licence and to be able to pay a small weekly hire charge.
Community First New Forest supplies everything else including CBT training, helmet, maintenance and servicing, and fully comprehensive insurance.
During the last 12 months, Community First New Forest’s Wheels to Work scheme has helped over 50 young people locally either find work or enable them to access vocational training.
The latest mopeds have been supplied by BLD in Ringwood. Stuart Dobson, Operations Director for BLD, said, “BLD is delighted to be involved with Wheels to Work and to be assisting young people in the local community in the start of their careers.
Many of us take getting to work for granted but perhaps have forgotten that when we first started work finding a job which we could get to, in a reasonable amount of time and at a cost that made sense, limited our options.
By being given the opportunity to work with the Wheels to Work scheme that barrier to employment will no longer exist. It’s a great idea and we look forward to seeing the fruits of our involvement as young people’s careers flourish.”
Graham Hartless, Transport Manager at Community First New Forest added, “Not only does the Wheels to Work scheme give young people the opportunity to enter employment, it also instills a sense of ownership and responsibility.
The scheme also teaches basic financial skills, as the young people have to budget for their weekly payments, and to plan ahead for when the loan period comes to an end.
Many clients have been able to save for their own transport or driving lessons as a result of being part of the scheme.”
For further information, telephone Graham Hartless at Community First New Forest on 01425 482773 or email mopedadmin@cfnf.org.uk for the New Forest and Test Valley or mopedloan@cfnf.org.uk for Winchester and East Hampshire.
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