Bath City FC opens its doors to Community Play Bus
The Community Play Bus will be arriving in Twerton this month thanks to Bath City FC.
The converted double decker, known as the Big Blue Bus, will set up at Twerton Park every Thursday morning until the end of the school term providing play facilities for children aged 0 to 4 years. The Bath arrival comes as the organisation appeals for new sponsors.
The charity, which is run by volunteers, already regularly visits villages around Bath, including Paulton and Peasedown St John, offering stay and play sessions to families on its bus.
It is currently funded by the National Lottery but this arrangement is expected to end in November and new sponsors are being sought.
The unique bus service has been in operation since the early 1980s and was originally used as a mobile clinic but was quickly adopted for other uses.
The current bus is fully converted as a mobile community centre with a kitchen, toilet, power supply, lighting, heating, a carpeted area, sensory toys, a book corner, a messy play area and sand box.
Emma Hazelton, from the Community Play Bus, said “We are very grateful to Bath City FC for allowing us to make use of their site. We are excited to be able to offer our play facilities to young families living in Bath. At the Big Blue Bus we provide a friendly and welcoming environment for parents, carers and pre-school children to meet and play. We hope the families of Bath will come and say hello and enjoy the fun and games we have to offer.”
She added, “Our National Lottery funding runs out in November and we are looking for new sponsors to enable us to continue our work throughout Bath and North East Somerset. We really hope these new sessions attract new supporters for what we do.”
Carole Banwell, General Manager for Bath City FC, said “We are really happy to welcome the Community Play Bus over the summer and we are pleased to be able to offer the charity use of our site free of charge. Introducing and supporting a community facility like this is exactly what the Club is all about. We look forward to seeing all the fun and activities that will take place.”
The Community Play Bus will run from the car park at Twerton Park on a Thursday morning from 7th June and will be open from 10am to Midday. It will run until Thursday 19th July when it will stop for the school holidays.
For information about the Community Play Bus, visit www.thecommunitybus.org.uk
