DASh opens doors to arts events Have you ever wanted to

see a play, watch a film or listen to some

music, but been unable to because you did not have your own transport?

Or been put off going because you did not fancy the late-night journey home? i

Well, do not despair. There are in i ­tiatives that wil l help. And that wil l transport you door-to-door in the good company of others.

For the last few years, Disability Arts in Shropshire (DASh) - but no, this project is not just for disabled people - has been running initiatives that arrange your transport for you, first in Bridgnorth and how North Shropshire.

Back in 1999, DASh got funding from the Arts Council to research^ what factors would make arts events more accessible to disabled people.

" I t wasperhaps no surprise that the answer was transport," said DASh's Mike Layward.

Help with transport is now enabling more and more people to attend arts events in rural

Shropshire, explains ROBERT BULLARD • "But i t is always good to have one's

suspicions confirmed, with support­ing evidence."

So, in partnership with the District Council, DASh set up "Bridgnorth

"Arts for A l l " , which arranges trans­port to arts events, to encourage more people to attend;

"But we did not want the old model of disabled people turning hp in a •bus," said Mike. r

"That would have merely rein­forced their isolation. And anyway, we became aware that other groups were also excluded."

Transporting several people at a time also fitted in with the council's environmental objectives of promot­ing community transport.

And now the project's results are beginning to speak for themselves.

I n the pilot year, 30 people used the transport. But now, in its third year, the number of users has doubled. Meanwhile, a similar initiative in North Shropshire, in its first year, has already recorded 40 users.

To find out more I went along to meet 11 users - mostly women over 70 - who travelled from Market Dray­ton to an event in Wem.

I t was no ordinary evening. The women were treated to a perfor­mance from the Warsaw Village Band just back from a visit to New York

"It 's excellent for us to be able to get out.and to have a good natter," said Olivia Matthews, excitedly.

Olivia cannot drive, having lost her sight a few years ago.

Others too chip in with reasons for using the transport

"Going with others means you are not a stranger when you arrive," said Frances Robinson.

"Coming with DASh means I can have a drink or two," added Lesley Durling, a keen folk enthusiast.

The only man among them, Eric Poutlon, had his own views.

"They like to have a man with them - as someone to go to the bar in the interval!"

Helen Battersby, Bridgnorth Dis­trict Council's Arts Officer, is equally pleased with the results.

"Demand has really picked up this year," she said. "Now the message is really getting through to people."

But while next year's funding is assured in Bridgnorth, the decision still has to go before councillors in North Shropshire.

"At the moment they seem to be cutting everything for the elderly," warned Olivia.

And with that they head off to the taxi . For now, being chauffeured door-to-door for £1 a round-trip, is too good adealtoignore.

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