Cancer patients and people with disabilities will benefit after transport bosses stepped in with £30,000 of funding

Strathclyde Partnership for Transport (SPT) has donated £20,000 to the Ardgowan Hospice Patient Transport Service while the Port Glasgow Voluntary Trans-Port Group have received £10,000.

Councillor David Wilson, who represents the district on SPT and is chair of its operations committee - which approved the funding projects, said: “I am delighted that SPT has agreed to fund these projects.

"Both bring tremendous benefits to the people of Inverclyde.

"No-one should have to worry about transport when they are coping with a life-limiting illness and the Ardgowan Hospice Patient Transport Scheme is a critical lifeline for patients undergoing cancer care.

"Without its volunteers, many patients would not be able to make the journey from Inverclyde to Glasgow."

The hospice service takes people from their front door direct to hospital.

Each year it helps 370 residents in Inverclyde attend cancer treatment and outpatient appointments.

Linda McEnhill, who is the chief executive of Ardgowan Hospice, said: “We are grateful for the wonderful support and funding provided by SPT which we know makes such a difference to the people we help every day.

"Without this funding we would find it so much harder to provide this service, which so many of our patients tell us is invaluable to them.”

The Port Glasgow Voluntary Trans-Port Group works with more than 30 community groups.

It helps 350 older and disabled people with limited mobility each week.

The £10,000 funding package will go towards vehicle maintenance costs.

Christine Dunn, who is the co-ordinator of the Port Glasgow Voluntary Trans-Port Glasgow, said: “Receiving this money is fantastic, as it provide us with funds for running costs.

"This means we can continue to offer the best service possible to those older and disabled people in Inverclyde who rely on us to get out and about.”