Families enjoy summer day out thanks to Ting

Families enjoy summer day out thanks to Ting

THIRTY residents, including families, from Love’s Farm community association in St Neots travelled from their home by Ting to Paxton Pits Nature Reserve for a day out, organised by Cllr Lara Davenport-Ray.

The event was funded by the HDC Health Inequalities Project with the aim to get residents of Love’s Farm, and in particular families with financial barriers, to get moving and active and enjoy a day out during the school holidays.

Ting, a taxi style bus, funded by the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority, was booked for the occasion to take the residents to the nature reserve at a lower cost than a private taxi, removing the need for multiple separate cars.

Mayor Dr Nik Johnson said:

“It’s great to hear that Ting was used to help facilitate an enjoyable summer’s day out for families to a local Nature reserve.  Ting is a low cost, green alternative to the car or timetabled bus, which I urge you to try.”

Lara Davenport-Ray, Councillor for St Neots East, said:

“We had a fantastic day out exploring nature at Paxton Pits. Many of the families, from the Love’s Farm housing estate in St Neots, had never ridden the TING bus or visited the reserve. We had great fun exploring pond life, spotting wading birds and counting damselflies. It was great to see local families getting active, using public transport, and enjoying nature. This adventure was only made possible by collaboration between TING, the Wildlife Trust and Huntingdonshire District Council.”

One Love’s Farm participant said:

“It’s hard to find inexpensive things to do with kids during the school holidays, especially if you don’t have a car. Now we know about TING, we can’t wait to go back to Paxton Pits and watch for otters along the nature path!”

Funded by the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority, Ting, a taxi-style bus service, has been running in West Huntingdonshire since October 2021, and is a great way to get around without having to rely on a car or fixed bus timetables.

Booking journeys can be done using the app from the App Stores and Apple Stores by searching ‘Vectare DRT’. People can also call to book by ringing the booking line on 0115 777 3187.