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 A
state-of-the-art, purpose-built mobile community
and information centre based on the
award-winning Optare Solo single-deck bus has
entered service in South Wales.
Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council is using
the mobile unit – which has been named ‘The
Dragon’s Den’ - to bring much-needed
services for children and young people to
isolated communities in this largely rural area
centred on the former Welsh mining valleys. The
vehicle acts as a satellite to the council’s
Integrated Children’s Centre at Blaina, which
serves the 68,400 residents of the County
Borough.
By day its focus will be on families with
pre-school children. It will be a centre for
Early Years learning and language and play
sessions for pre-school children. Parents will
be able to attend ante-natal classes and learn
relaxation techniques such as massaging.
There’ll also be professionals from the
relevant agencies to give them advice and
information.
 In
the evenings the focus switches to older
children. Youth workers will use it as a base
from which to provide sport, leisure and
education services, including IT skills. The
centre can also be used to provide information,
advice and guidance on a range of social and
health issues, with facilities on the bus to do
this discreetly if required.
Catherine Davies is the new Mobile Vehicle
Project Officer and regular daytime driver of
the unit. She has had to undergo a range of
training from a Public Service Vehicle driving
course to specialist early years and play
training. In the evenings, when the vehicle is
being used for youth work, it will be driven by
people selected from a bank of drivers from
within the various agencies involved.
The new unit bristles with modern technology but
it also has more traditional facilities. For
example, the toddlers have a permanent sandpit,
but for young people who have moved beyond that
stage of their development there’s a suite of
six fold-away IT workstations. These can be used
to help them to learn new skills or simply to
have fun with computer games or to access the
internet.
The unit is divided into two parts with the
raised area over the back axle and to the rear
of the vehicle partitioned-off with a folding
door. This area is fitted with comfortable
seating, a large plasma screen and a white board
enabling it to be used for private discussions
and small group learning sessions.
The Optare Solo was considered to be the ideal
vehicle on which to base the new community unit.
Its unusual and stylish appearance makes it
instantly appealing and has made it the only bus
to win a Queen’s Award for Design. It’s also
very practical, comprising a fully-integral body
construction that’s exceptional strong yet
light in weight. This all-welded stainless-steel
box section structure includes an extensive
anti-rust protection system applied at various
stages of assembly.
A particular feature of Solo is its easy access
for all. Entry is through a wide plug-type door
with a step height of just 265 mm (10½ inches)
reducing to a mere 200 mm (8 inches) with the
air suspension bags exhausted. Combined with a
simple manual fold-out ramp, this enables people
of all levels of mobility, including people in
wheelchairs, to get on and off the vehicle
easily and safely.
Funding for the vehicle came from Blaenau Gwent
Local Health Board with additional help to fit
it out from the council’s Community Education
and Community Safety Partnership.
Leicester Carriage Builders carried out the
conversion and applied the colourful livery.
This was designed by young people from the
Blaenau Gwent Youth Forum and a local designer.
Their involvement included a trip Leicester to
see the vehicle in its final stages of
completion and to assist with applying the
livery.
Ruth Parry, Integrated Children’s Centre
Co-ordinator at Blaenau Gwent County Borough
Council, says that they are delighted with the
end result. “Outwardly the unique styling of
Solo has resulted in a very smart looking
vehicle, which will certainly prove attractive
to the families and young people who will use
it.
“Internally we’ve tried to create a blank
canvas so that it can have a wide range of uses
without compromising any of them. And I think
that we’ve achieved that, with a mobile unit
that will be a major asset to the people of
Blaenau Gwent and benefit all sections of our
communities right across the County Borough.”
For further information please contact:
Martin Hayes or David Rowlands, Communications
Advisors, +44 (0)20 7494 8050
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