A bus service for disabled and elderly people has received a major funding boost.

The Carebus Volunteer Group will receive funds from the Greenham Common Trust to help run their charitable service.

Following a launch by Richard Benyon MP on April 3, they were awarded a grant of £3000 and match funding of up to £5000.

All money donated to Carebus this year will be matched by Greenham Common Trust.

This news comes after an announcement in December 2014 that cuts in local government funding would threaten the service, leading Carebus to set up an alternative plan to keep the service running.

Despite the fund matching and a successful bid to the Department for Transport which led to two brand new minibuses which will be independently operated, Carebus are still currently seeking the funding which was previously met by West Berkshire Council.

Mp for Newbury Richard Benyon said: “I will continue to work with the Council and service providers to support options such as on-demand taxi services in order that those from the most rural areas continue to be able to get to towns and other transport links.”

The Carebus service covers the West Berkshire parishes of Aldworth, Ashampstead, Basildon, Beenham, Bradfield, Bucklebury, Holybrook, Pangbourne, Purley on Thames, Stanford Dingley, Streatley, Tidmarsh with Sulham, Theale, Tilehurst, and Yattendon.

The volunteers transport groups of people using the wheelchair accessible car, or their own vehicles, helping to link vulnerable people with hospitals, clinics and GP surgeries.

In response to requests from West Berkshire Council they are now also operating demand-responsive return bus service between some villages and both Reading and Newbury once a week.

The service was founded more than 20 years ago and uses a variety of second hand minibuses and relies on the voluntary committee made up of people representing local communities.