A Walsall councillor is celebrating 10 years of the pensioners’ bus pass by going on a 16-day charity tour of England.
Richard Worrall, 73, of the National Pensioners’ Convention Transport Group, set off on the National Express West Midlands 529 service to Wolverhampton on 13th October.
He is travelling up the west coast to Carlisle, then across to Berwick-upon Tweed and down the East Coast.
Cllr Worrall will then cross the Thames at Dartford, go to Dover and along the south coast to Lands End and home to the Midlands via Bristol.
He said: “I’m doing this mammoth bus tour to highlight the value of the bus pass for older and disabled people.
“It’s a great scheme that does so much for the quality of life of millions of older and disabled people. Many pensioners from all over the country have told me it is for them an absolute lifeline.
“The bus pass scheme is also good for society as a whole.”
About 20% of the West Midlands population is made up of senior citizens, higher than the UK average of 17%.
Life-saving cancer treatment
Cllr Worrall will travel on around 85 buses as part of his journey, while will also have an added benefit.
“I’m also raising money for Solving Kids’ Cancer to enable 11-year-old cancer patient Isabella Lyttle, of Rushall in Walsall, to travel abroad for life-saving cancer treatment not available in the UK,” he said.
Isabella’s mum, Jennie Dalton, added: “We are so incredibly thankful to Richard for all of the ongoing support he has given to Isabella over the years.
“We are so lucky to have such an amazing local councillor supporting our fundraising efforts as we attempt to raise such a significant amount of money towards Isabella’s treatment.
“We very much look forward to following Richard’s journey and hope that Isabella will be well enough to join him on a local leg.”
