KickStart Norfolk has received a grant of £631 from Norfolk Community Foundation’s Annie Bell Fund to fund the printing and distribution of leaflets in areas of Norfolk where take up of the KickStart service is currently low.

KickStart offers a low cost motor scooter hire scheme for people wanting to access employment, training and education opportunities but live in areas where the public transport provision is poor or non existent. KickStart provides all training and equipment to safely use the scooters and each scooter is safety checked and serviced every eight weeks by professional contractors. KickStart asks service users for a donation of approximately £10 per week and provided there is no major damage to the vehicle, on its return they are refunded 30% of the money they have paid into the scheme.

KickStart currently have a fleet of approximately 250 scooters. 80% of service users are young people, but people in their 70s have also used the service. Last year KickStart helped over 400 people into work or work training.

Annie’s husband Ken, who presented the cheque said, “We looked at several grant applications to Norfolk Community Foundation, and particularly liked this organisation as its service is available to people of all ages and it empowers them to improve their own lives. As there are now far fewer employment opportunities for people in rural areas, it is crucial for people to have effective transport to be able to get to college or a job. I am confident that Annie would have thoroughly approved of us helping in this way.”

“This grant from Norfolk Community Foundation will help to ensure that people in rural areas of Norfolk will have improved access to employment and education opportunities otherwise restricted by poor or non existent public transport services.”

John Wratten
 Manager, KickStart Norfolk

To contact KickStart please call John Wratten on 01362 699923 or email kickstartnorfolk@tiscali.co.uk
For further info on Norfolk Community Foundation or to make a donation to The Annie Bell Fund,
Tel: 01603 882138, or email info@norfolkfoundation.com.