Inverness charities come together to launch ‘Friendship Bus’ to tackle social isolation
Two Inverness charities have come together to launch a brand-new ‘Friendship Bus’ aimed at tackling isolation and keeping older adults connected to their community through lunch clubs and social outings.
The bus – gifted by the charity behind the long-running Wednesday Lunch Club at Merkinch Community Centre – has been officially handed over to Partnerships for Wellbeing (PFW), which has been providing community transport services in Inverness since 2004.
The rebranded vehicle will not only continue transporting people to the popular Merkinch Lunch Club free of charge, but it will also relieve pressure on PFW’s current fleet and allow the charity to grow its Friendship Club activities across the city.
PFW Manager Jeff Zycinski hailed the donation as “an amazing and generous gift” that will make a big difference to the lives of older adults in Inverness.
He said: “This is such an amazing and generous gift from the Merkinch charity and we’re delighted to be able to continue taking people to the lunch club because we know it’s valued so much by local people as a way to maintain friendships.
“Thanks to this new bus, we can also expand our Friendship Club outings to more communities across the city, reaching even more people who might otherwise feel isolated.”
Elsie Normington, development manager at the Merkinch Community Centre, said the donation reflects the spirit of partnership that has always been central to community life in Inverness.
“The rebranded bus is a great symbol of co-operation between two city charities, and it goes to show how we can all do so much more for the community when we work together,” she said.
The new Friendship Bus takes to the road this month, with routes and outings extending beyond Merkinch to bring joy, connection, and a sense of belonging to older residents throughout Inverness.
