Bristol Airport has awarded £12,000 from its Local Community Fund to Wrington Community Minibus, helping the charity replace its ageing vehicle with a new, fully accessible minibus.
The new vehicle will enable Wrington Community Minibus to continue and expand its vital transport services for local residents, elderly passengers, and community groups, services that are essential in a village with limited public transport options.
Wrington Community Minibus celebrates 50 years of community service in 2025. They provide a varied programme of regular scheduled trips for shopping, social events and local outings. The group also supports Wrington’s popular Lunch Club, which offers weekly family-style meals for around 25 pensioners. In 2024 alone, the organisation ran 146 outings, carrying 1,136 passengers, 94% of whom were aged over 60 years of age.
The organisation’s current 12-year-old vehicle did not comply with Bristol City’s Clean Air Zone regulations, preventing them from operating trips into or through the city. The new Euro 6 compliant minibus will allow the group to expand its full programme of excursions and activities to include many popular destinations within the city.
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Adrian Hopkins, Chairman of the Wrington Community Minibus Trustees, said:
“Our heartfelt thanks go to Bristol Airport and the other local businesses and fundraisers whose generous support makes it possible for us to keep this service running. Every one of our drivers and administrators’ gives their time voluntarily, and your contribution honours and sustains their commitment.”
Tracy Comer, Community Relations Manager at Bristol Airport, said:
“We are absolutely delighted to support Wrington Community Minibus with this grant from our Local Community Fund. The group provides an essential lifeline for many local residents, ensuring that people of all ages can stay connected to their community and access vital services. Accessible and reliable transport makes a huge difference to quality of life, especially for those who might otherwise find it difficult to get around. At Bristol Airport, we’re proud to champion projects like this that reflect the strength of community spirit across our region. It’s inspiring to see how community effort and airport support can come together to make such a tangible difference.”
Bristol Airport Local Community Fund and Diamond Fund
The Airport Environmental and Amenity Improvement Fund (known as the Bristol Airport Local Community Fund) was set up as one of the commitments the Airport agreed to provide in connection with its planning permission for development over the next decade.
Each year, Bristol Airport contributes £100,000 to the Bristol Airport Local Community Fund and £50,000 to the newly created Diamond Fund. The Fund’s Management Committee meets on a quarterly basis and includes representatives from both the Airport, North Somerset Council and is independently chaired.
The Bristol Airport Local Community Fund was established to invest in a range of local projects which benefit the local community and the environment. Its main purpose is to mitigate the environmental impacts of the Airport’s operations and give something back to the surrounding communities who are affected by being situated in close proximity to an international airport. The Local Community Fund has a set criteria relating to noise mitigation, transport improvements and biodiversity projects.
The Diamond Fund supports smaller sized projects in local towns and villages in the vicinity of the Airport which do not meet the criteria for the Bristol Airport Local Community Fund.
To find out more information on the new Local Community Fund and Diamond Fund, please visit the Airport’s website
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