Final push - Please help as we need to raise a further £32,500 to pay for the conversion costs of our new Playbus by Monday 4 September 2023. In April we purchased a 2009 Alexander Dennis Enviro400 Trident double deck bus, which will become the next and 4th-in-line Ipswich Community Playbus. We have lovingly named him "Dennis". To convert "Dennis" from a London Bus to an exciting new Playbus takes a lot of time and professional expertise. You can help! The Ipswich Community Playbus is a mobile double decker bus converted into a pre-school/parents-toddler-baby group on wheels offering high quality early years education and bringing children and families together, promoting community cohesion. The Playbus travels to set areas each week, term time, visiting areas where there is the greatest concentration of social housing, where many families may be from low socio-economical backgrounds and where there are no similar facilities nearby. The playbus sessions are all free and are accessible to everyone.
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IPSWICH COMMUNITY PLAYBUS
Another £32,105 needed now for conversion costs of our new Playbus "Dennis" by Monday 4 September 2023. £50,095 already raised to date!
The conversion will involve stripping out the interior seating throughout, installing a toilet and baby change area, a generator, a water pump, worktops, shelving and cupboards. We will need to install stair gates, carpet the internal play areas, panel over the lower windows and back windows for safety and create an emergency exit. On the top deck we will build a slide and play equipment area and then we will need to furnish with educational and fun toys, games, books and themed area.
Finally we need to design and complete external decoration of "Dennis". The entire bus will be painted in fun bright colours with a bold joyful face on the front of the bus.
We have raised some of the money, but still have a way to go to get "Dennis" ready for the new School Autumn term.
A bit about the Charity - The Ipswich Community Playbus Charity started back in 1979. There have been 3 different Playbuses over the years and many thousands and thousands of children and families have used the free Playbus service over those years.
In 2023 the current Playbus, affectionately named "Maggie", will celebrate being on the road as a Playbus for 20 years! This is a fantastically massive achievement and has far surpassed all of our expectations!
The Playbus staff on board follow the Early Years Foundation Stage of the National Curriculum in planning various and different themes each term to engage young children and develop their learning skills. It also brings families and communities together. Relationships between users of the service and staff are built upon so that families feel welcome and respected and “Maggie” The Playbus and her team are seen as friends and a listening ear as well as a fun, educational place to come and play and socialize.
Please help us get "Dennis" on the road! All of your donations, however big or small, are very much appreciated!