A COMMUNITY bus service will be expanding its route to Dorchester thanks to a funding boost.

Bus 2 Go was founded in 2012 and ran routes in the Blandford and DT11 area with the aim of helping to reduce isolation in rural areas by using school buses.

Margo Kirk, project leader of the Bus 2 Go project, said: “We use Dorset Community Tran-sport’s school buses in their downtime during the school day, at least three times a month, from 9.30am to 2pm.

“We sometimes go out on weekends, visits to the theatre and during the school holidays. These outings cost more money; therefore, continued fundraising is very important to us.”

Magna Housing Group’s community initiative fund (CIF) donated £500 towards the project so they could extend their services into Dorchester.

Lynne Coombe, Magna resident and member of the CIF forum, said: “This is a great service and we wanted to support the project so they could extend their service to our residents in Dorchester.

“Sandringham Court is the first of our sheltered housing schemes to use the service and we hope to roll it out to more schemes.”

Margo added: “We’re very grateful for the donation from Magna and look forward to welcoming more of their residents on the Bus 2 Go trips.”

The CIF allocates £120,000 a year to things which will improve the areas where Magna residents live and £30,000 to charities and organisations which provide services of benefit to residents.

If your community has an idea for a project or an area that could be improved, it may qualify for CIF funding. To find out more and get an application form, call Ken Bodycombe, Magna community investment officer, 01305 216095 or send an email to ken.bodycombe@ magna.org.uk