CRUCIAL community transport services have been rescued after the shock announcement of a charity's closure.

Cotswold Volunteers, which provides volunteer driver and minibus services, is set to close its doors tomorrow (15) citing a lack of funding and resources.

The announcement triggered fears that people with mobility issues would be left without transport for hospital appointments, shopping trips, or support group meetings.

In a desperate bid to save some of the charity’s essential services, Gloucestershire County Council stepped-in to help find alternative suppliers.

Community Connexions will be offering the Dial-a-Ride and Voluntary Car services, which had been run by Cotswold Volunteers, from Monday(18).

The no. 288 Wotton Hopper from Wotton to Stroud is now being run by Robertsons.

The no.278 Tetbury Dolphin from Tetbury to Malmesbury, and the no.27 bus from Tetbury to Yate or Chipping Sodbury are being run temporarily by the county council, with Community Connexion expected to take over.

Councillor Nigel Moor, cabinet member for fire, transport and infrastructure, said: “We know these services are vital to help rural communities thrive, which is why we’ve protected their budget.”

Bev Hemming, from Community Connexions, said: “We are taking over all of Cotswold Volunteers’ Dial-a-Ride services and Voluntary Car services.

“We are passionate about community transport to enable people to get out and about and relieve pressures on families.”

She added that the charity is may expand services due to the number of drivers who want to volunteer more hours.

Margaret Knapp, organiser of the Cirencester Stroke Club, was initially dismayed as eight of the club's most vulnerable members relied on the Dial-a-Ride service to get to their weekly meet-ups and to go shopping at Tesco and Waitrose.

Many of these members have mobility issues from stroke.

She said: "I'm very pleased it happened very quickly. But it seemed to me that it could've happened earlier without causing any alarm.

"I don't know anything about the Cheltenham charity, as long as the services are concentrated locally.

"It's an important service. If the service stopped, more vulnerable members will miss out. It also makes a big difference to the lives of people who use it to go shopping."

Cotswold Volunteers, which was funded by local authority grants, private donations and earnings from its charity shops, said: “The funding climate has, and continues to be tough.

“Grants are in decline under the Government’s austerity programme and grant making trusts are overwhelmed with applications in a climate of diminishing returns from investments.

“Our shop income has also been in decline in the light of intense competition across the retail sector.

"Despite our major efforts to obtain funding to sustain our services we have been driven to ever increasing ‘salami slicing’ to maintain our services.

“The point has now been reached where we simply can no longer sustain and meaningfully deliver our services to our vulnerable client set based on our current resources.

“We have therefore reluctantly decided that we have no option but to close the charity."