Stagecoach and Inspired Villages to reunite in Eastbourne for a day out on the award-winning Friendship Bus

Bus operator Stagecoach and retirement village operator, Inspired Villages will come together again for a special trip to Eastbourne on the bus later this week.

The trip, set to take place on Wednesday 14^th June, will run from Maidstone down to Eastbourne Pier, where the group can enjoy a day on the Sunshine Coast and take a ride on the town’s iconic Dotto Train.

The outing will coincide with Loneliness Awareness Week which runs from 12^th to 18^th June, this year’s theme, Connection Matters’ encourages people to harness moments of human interaction and to not always rely on digital devices. ‘

The event comes after two successful days out last Summer with Inspired Friendships that resulted in the initiative winning a UK Bus Award in the ‘Bus and Community’ category. The team has so far enjoyed days out bowling in Ashford and river punting in Canterbury.

Inspired Friendships was launched in 2020 by Inspired Villages to prevent older people living in the communities around an Inspired village from feeling isolated.

The Inspired Friendships team is made up of Friendship Managers Wendy Pfeiffer, Diane Bromley, and a small group of supporters. The group supports over 100 members, half of whom attend a range of community events, such as walks, coffee mornings, bus trips, tenpin bowling and lunches. These activities help the members to forge new friendships and increase their confidence in meeting new people and getting out and about.

Wendy Pfeiffer commented: “We are thrilled to collaborate with Stagecoach once again for this special trip to Eastbourne, bringing our community together and making a meaningful impact during Loneliness Awareness Week. At Inspired Friendships, we strongly believe in the power of human connection and its ability to improve the overall wellbeing of older people within the community. Joining us on the day will be Abby Wincel and her companions from the Wishing Hearts Charity. Their mission, much like ours, is to provide older people with a meaningful place in society by empowering and supporting them to build social networks, while also promoting independence and activity.”

Stagecoach South East’s Managing Director, Joel Mitchell, spoke of the partnership, “We are happy to be continuing our work with Inspired Villages and its incredibly important as it coincides with Loneliness Awareness Week.

“For some, a chat on the bus is the only conversation they have all day. So, we’re really honoured to host a day out in Eastbourne whilst highlighting an issue that impacts us all.”