Bernie the Bus volunteers receive awards from the Prime Minister

Buckinghamshire councillors Paul Irwin and Ashley Waite have each received a ‘Points of Light’ award for their Bernie the Bus volunteer work. As well as coming up with the idea to use the bus to deliver and collect food and vital supplies for elderly and vulnerable residents across Buckinghamshire during the pandemic, Paul and Ashley also got hands on – helping the bus to travel more than 1,000 miles so far on its charitable mission.

Paul and Ashley will both receive a personal letter from the Prime Minister thanking them for their work. They’ll also receive a personalised certificate and an announcement about their award will be published on the Points of Light website.

Commenting on their award, Paul and Ashley said:

“We were pleasantly surprised to be notified of this fantastic award. From feedback we’ve had from residents, Bernie the Bus has made a huge difference to the lives of those he’s been able to help.

“However, it’s definitely worth noting that Bernie the Bus would have been unable to do its great work without the support of generous grants from Buckinghamshire Council, Heart of Bucks and the Rothschild Foundation. We’ve very grateful for their valuable support.

“We’re part of a great team that keeps Bernie’s wheels rolling and we’re so lucky to also have such an amazing team around us.”

Henry Allmand, Chief Executive of Heart of Bucks, commented:

“Heart of Bucks were delighted to support Bernie the Bus and the work of Paul and Ashley during the Covid crisis. It’s fantastic that well-deserving local people in Bucks who work so hard for their local community are being recognised in this way.”

Ellie Stout, Head of Grants at the Rothschild Foundation, added:

“We are proud to have supported Bernie the Bus, a shining example of community spirit during these difficult times and a worthy recipient of a Points of Light award.”

More information on the charitable work Bernie the Bus has helped with can be found here: www.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/news/bernie-bus-travels-1000-miles-help-those-need