Hawksgarth Lodge’s 40 residents previously had to use a borrowed minibus on Tuesday mornings for trips out.

But now, thanks to fund-raising efforts, residents will be able to take to the road whenever they want to.

Staff and family members of residents at the private nursing home first began raising money for the bus in March 2005, initially from a coffee morning.

But more events followed in order to boost the coffers, such as further coffee mornings, tombolas and raffles.

An extra boost to the funds was cash raised through a RAF Fylingdales sponsored walk which took the total amount raised to more than £9,000 while the rest of the money was provided by European Care which owns the home.

Jane Hall, activities organiser at Hawksgarth Lodge, said: “This bus means so much to the residents. We were grateful to the Trinity Centre for allowing us our Tuesday morning slot, but now, having a minibus of our own means total freedom. We can go out whenever we feel like it, if the weather’s nice, or if we just have a spare hour or two.”

Jane said the staff had already been planning a number of trips out.

“We’d love to go to the Sealife Centre, but because it’s on the coast, it’s a little too windy for some of the residents yet, but we’ll go in the summer.

“We plan on riding the train from Grosmont to Pickering, and having the bus means we can drive there and have the driver meet us at the other end.”

Not only will the residents be venturing further afield, but they will also get to enjoy drives around the countryside.

“This bus means independence and freedom,” said Jane