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A generous Solent-based car dealership is helping a local charity to strengthen community safety and provide support to vulnerable people across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight by donating the use of one of its vans, free of charge.

The Bobby Scheme provides a free service to the elderly and vulnerable people, including victims of burglary and domestic violence, by sending experts to the homes of the elderly and crime victims to offer security advice and install safety equipment. The scheme, which is run in Hampshire by The Blue Lamp Trust and supported by the emergency services, relies upon on a fleet of vans for its fitters to do their home visits. Hendy Ford car dealership in Fareham has donated one of its vans to the scheme for the next year. Hendy has been providing similar support since 2015.

Mark Busby, Commercial Director at Hendy Group, handed the vehicle keys to The Blue Lamp Trust at its Eastleigh headquarters on Wednesday 6 February 2019. Mr Busby said:“The Blue Lamp Trust supports and helps people in the community in which we operate, as well as raising valuable funds through driver training for The Bobby Scheme. It provides a valuable support to vulnerable people that the emergency services simply can’t do.”

The Blue Lamp Trust’s operations manager, David Watkins, said: “We rely on the goodwill and generosity of businesses like Hendy that make up the community in Hampshire. We’re delighted that they are continuing to support us in this very direct and practical way which lets us keep another of our fitters on the road.

“With this valuable support, company is contributing towards a safer Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.” In its 20-year history The Bobby Scheme’s trained fitters, who are all vetted by Hampshire police, are uniformed and carry ID cards, have visited more than 16,500 homes.

They carry out full home crime prevention surveys, give reassurance and offer specific crime prevention advice to improve safety. They also fit locks, spy-holes, door chains and smoke alarms where needed. Anyone who believes they fit the criteria for a visit by a Bobby Scheme mobile team can contact bobby@bluelamptrust.org.uk or phone 0300 777 0157.

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