The Okehampton District Community Transport Group (ODCTG) has been granted a total of £1,500 to help keep the service running during the cost of living crisis.

The transport group announced its delight that it had received a £500 grant from the Magic Little Grant, part of the Postcode Lottery, and £1,000 from Movement for Good, a funding scheme that supports community interest groups.

Sue Wonnacott, manager of the ODCTG, said that the group had once received money from the Postcode Lottery and when she discovered that it was eligible to apply again she did so without any certainty that it would succeed.

She said: ‘I am always surprised when we get a grant. It takes time and effort and it’s difficult - nine times out of ten, you are unsuccessful. It’s nice when you get something.

‘We do have funding from Devon County Council for our Ring and Ride service but it’s not a given. They can only give you a definite answer a year in advance.’

The group said the money from the Magic Little Grant will be used to subsidise its bus fares to keep the service running which it hopes will prevent social isolation and promote health and wellbeing among those unable to use traditional public transport.

Last month the ODCTG asked supporters to nominate the charity for the Movement for Good donation scheme draw which saw the charity up for a grant of £1,000. It announced this week that it was successful.

‘We have also just received £1,000 from Movement for Good which will go towards subsidising fares so we can keep our costs down. I expect the money soon, I’ve just got a bit of paperwork to fill out,’ said Ms Wonnacott.

Despite fuel and maintenance costs continuing to rise, the transport group has continued to keep its prices as low as possible and it is hoped that the extra funding will allow the service to maintain affordable fares.

However, the charity has found it necessary to rise prices slightly in order to cover the increasing cost of drivers’ fuel.

Last week, it announced that local journeys within Okehampton would rise from £4 to £5 for the return journey, while longer journeys would increase from 50p to 55p per mile plus a £3 booking fee.

Wheelchair accessible vehicle charges and bus fares will not increase as the charity said it was ‘keen to continue to subsidise these to help keep independence, improve health and wellbeing and reduce social isolation.’

The new prices are set to come into operation from July 1.

The ODCTG is a community-led charity, supported by Devon County Council and West Devon Borough Council which provides transport to those in the Okehampton area who live in rurally isolated locations or those otherwise unable to use traditional public transport.

It provides a Ring and Ride bus service, individual car transport and organises regular Saturday and mid-week community trips to a range of locations across Devon which have included Exmouth, Paignton Zoo, Exeter and Sidmouth in the past.