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Basildon's first SOS Bus took its inaugural trip to Festival Leisure Park on Friday 21st May.
The bus will be at the park every Friday and Saturday night from 9pm until 3am, helping vulnerable people at the site well into the early hours.
It will act as the first point of contact for those whose well-being is threatened by an inability to get home, illness or injury, emotional distress or vulnerability.
The bus is being run by the YMCA, who manage the Southend SOS Bus, and manned by trained first aid volunteers. Staff will have access to the medical centre on the downstairs of the bus for those presenting minor injuries, ensuring less serious problems are treated on the spot rather than going to hospital.
The bus aims to offer support to individuals at Festival Leisure Park, helping the overall night time economy and reducing crime and anti-social behaviour caused by alcohol misuse, therefore reducing the number of alcohol related arrests or admissions to hospital.
It is planned that the new SOS BUS will be used at weekends at the Festival Leisure Park to offer a safe haven for anyone,
It is believed the planned new SOS BUS will reduce the amount of people being sent to hospital unnecessarily and provide a valuable service to residents and visitors to the district's Festival Leisure Park
The new SOS BUS would also be available to be used as mobile centre for various organisations to make use of during the day across the whole of the district, offering,
The following organisations have agreed to provide a significant part of funding needed to supply the new SOS BUS