WATBus

14/10/2026

👏 Community Transport Week – Meet Colin! 🚌

This Community Transport Week, we’re giving a little shout-out to one of our volunteers, Colin!

Colin joined us earlier this year and helps out with our weekly run to Hirst Welfare, getting people out and about and along to a group there.

He’s been a great addition to the team, and Wednesdays have become a regular fixture for Colin, both out on the road and spending time in the office chatting with us and our other volunteers.

We know that when our volunteers get together, there’s usually plenty of talking going on. Whether much work actually gets done is another question! 😂

When Colin first joined us, confidence was something he found challenging. He’s been open about the barriers he’s faced, and we’ve worked together to help him overcome some of those challenges at his own pace.

It’s been great to see his confidence grow, and we’re chuffed to have him as part of the team. 💙

Colin is a great example of how volunteering works both ways.

Yes, you’re helping other people, but you can also make friends, learn new skills and get a bit of confidence back along the way.

Thanks for all you do, Colin. We’re glad you joined our little WATBus family! 🚌💙

13/10/2026

Community Transport Week – Driving Communities Forward
This Community Transport Week, we wanted to share a little about one of our Out & About passengers, Mr T.

Mr T is visually impaired and lives in a rural area. He uses our Out & About service to get to his social group at Vision Northumberland in Morpeth, helping him stay connected and get out and about with confidence.

Here’s what Mr T had to say about the service:

🗣️ “The Out & About service enables me to get out of the house and access my club. As I live rurally, I wouldn’t be able to afford a taxi to attend. My regular driver Billy really looks after me and nothing is too much trouble for him – even popping in to the butcher on the way home! I’m so grateful for the service.”

It’s a great example of what community transport is all about. It’s not just about getting someone from A to B; it’s about helping people access the activities and social connections that are important to them.

And a special mention to Billy for looking after Mr T and going that extra mile (sometimes via the butcher! 😉).

12/10/2026

Thanks Adapt North East, this is just the start of the new exciting Northumberland Ct Network.

UPDATE:
Thanks to the loan of a vehicle by the fabulous WATBus, we can provide the dial-a-ride services for the rest of the week. Regular passengers will be contacted as soon as possible.

With all of our buses needing repairs, we have had to take the decision to cancel all of our transport routes for next week, from 12 October.

12/10/2026

🚍 IT’S CT WEEK 2026! 🚍

It’s Community Transport Week, and this year’s theme is Driving Communities Forward — which, conveniently, is something we’re rather good at! 😉

At WATBus, we know community transport is about a lot more than just getting from A to B.
It’s getting someone to a hospital appointment.

🏫 Getting children to school.
🛍️ Getting out shopping.
☕ Meeting up with friends.
💇 Getting to the hairdresser.
🐾 Getting the dog or cat to the vets.
❤️ And sometimes, just having the freedom to get out of the house and stay connected to the community.

And none of that happens without the people behind the wheels and behind the scenes.

Our volunteer drivers, staff, volunteers and supporters are the ones who keep WATBus moving — often going the extra mile, quite literally! 😂

So this week we’re celebrating them — the people who give their time, drive the buses and cars, help with school transport, answer the phones, sort the bookings and generally keep everything moving!

Community transport makes a difference.

We see it every day.

So here’s to everyone Driving Communities Forward — and to the WATBus crew who keep doing what we do. 💙🚍

Happy CT Week 2026!

09/10/2026

It was lovely to welcome Ian Lavery to WATBus and give him the chance to meet some of the team and hear a bit more about what we do. 😊

Thanks for taking the time to visit us and for the lovely words about our team and volunteers. We’re proud of the work we do and the difference community transport makes across our local communities! 💙🚌

🚌 A fantastic visit to WATBUS!

Really impressed by the incredible team at WATBUS and the vital transport services they provide, particularly for those in our communities who need them most.

It was a pleasure to meet with Barry and the team to hear more about their operations, the challenges they face and the difference they make to people’s everyday lives.

What really stood out was the dedication of their exceptional volunteers, who give so much of their time to support others.

A fantastic community-focused organisation, with a brilliant team and something we should all be incredibly proud of.

👏 A huge thank you to everyone involved for the difference you make

01/10/2026

ANOTHER WATBUS DRIVER READY FOR ACTION!

Yesterday our newest volunteer Trevor completed his MiDAS Accessible training and is now officially ready to get behind the wheel of our minibuses!

Trevor has already been getting to grips with our Out & About Caddys over the last few weeks, so he’s definitely been thrown in at the deep end! 😂
And next week he’ll be helping us out with a few school sports teams, getting them safely to their matches. ⚽🏉🏃

He’s quickly becoming a really valuable member of the WATBus team, and we’re absolutely delighted to have him on board.

A massive well done, Trevor — and welcome to WATBus! 👏👏

And while we’re talking about volunteers… 👀
We’re always looking for more people to join the WATBus team! You don’t need to be a professional driver or have loads of spare time — just a bit of time, a willingness to help and a sense of humour! 😄

Our volunteers make a huge difference to the people who use our services, and Trevor is a brilliant example of the difference a volunteer can make.

Fancy joining us? Give us a message or get in touch — we’d love to hear from you! 🚍❤️

28/09/2026

🚗🎉 BIG WATBUS CONGRATULATIONS! 🎉🚗

We had some brilliant news last week — Jade, one of our Passenger Assists, passed her driving test! 🥳👏

Obviously, we’re absolutely delighted for her… although we’re already wondering how long it’ll be before we can start leaning on her to drive a bus! 😂🚌

Don’t worry Jade, we’re only joking… you’ve got a couple of years to get some experience under your belt before we start asking you to take the keys to a 17-seater! 🤣

Seriously though, massive congratulations Jade! 🎉
All that hard work has paid off and we’re really pleased for you.

25/09/2026

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 WATBus goes to Bonnie Scotland! 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

This week, Simon, one of our WATBus drivers, along with a WATBus bus and one of our WATBike bike trailers, headed off to Scotland to support Marmalade on their annual Highland Bike Trek.

The tremendous trek began on Monday in Aviemore, with riders taking on some seriously spectacular Highland scenery — and no doubt a few hills that seemed like a good idea at the time! 😂
Tomorrow , the riders will reach the finish line at Applecross, Strathcarron, bringing an incredible week of cycling to an end.

We’re delighted to have been able to support Marmalade and their riders along the way, helping keep bikes, people and all the important bits moving! 🚍🚴‍♂️

🚲 Got a cycling adventure of your own?

Our WATBike bike trailers can carry up to 16 bikes and are available as part of our WATBus transport hire, alongside one of our buses and a WATBus driver. Perfect for cycling clubs, groups, schools, events and organised rides.

📧 [email protected]
📞 01670 522999

And finally… we have heard rumours that when he hasn't been busy driving, Simon has been spending his downtime watching rather a lot of Stranger Things on Netflix. 👀😂

A huge well done to everyone taking part in the trek — what an achievement! 🚴‍♀️👏

22/09/2026

🚗 WE NEED YOU! 🚗

Got some spare time?
Fancy making a difference?
Like driving and meeting people?

Come and join our Out & About volunteer crew! 💙

📩 [email protected]
Get in touch!

21/09/2026

🚍 NEED A MINIBUS? WE’VE GOT YOU👀

Got a big group going somewhere?

School trip?
Community outing?
Sports team?

WATBus has THREE New 17-seat minibuses available for self-drive hire!

And the good news is, you may be able to drive one with a standard Category B driving licence, subject to the relevant licence requirements.

So you can take the whole gang with you, without needing to arrange a separate driver.

🚍 17 seats
🚍 Self-drive hire
🚍 Three vehicles available
🚍 Ideal for schools, groups, clubs & organisations

Whether you’re heading off for a day trip, a match, an event or just need a few more seats….

We might just have the wheels for you. 😉

📧 Want to know more or check availability?
Email [email protected]