Ambient Team organise Shaun’s once-in-a-lifetime bus ride

The pandemic has impacted every aspect of our daily lives, from getting a haircut to hopping on the bus. At one of Ambient’s supported living services in Ipswich, Suffolk, one resident, Shaun, who has a huge passion for public transport, has particularly missed his weekly bus ride during lockdown. 

Keen to ensure that Shaun could continue doing the things he loves, team members from Ambient Support’s service at Trent Road went above and beyond the call of duty and arranged an experience that was totally unique and personal to Shaun- a surprise bus trip.

Team Leader, John Pittaccio, at Trent Road Ambient Support service says:

“We got in touch with a local transport company and explained how much Shaun was missing his favourite vehicle. In response, we were told that a sparkling new bus was soon to be put into service in the local area and that they could offer Shaun an extremely secret treat- to be the first passenger to ride the new bus, and in fact, to be the only passenger to board that week! We originally only asked for a branded tie so the fact that the bus company was so helpful and willing to work with us, was amazing.

“The bus trip way exceeded Shaun’s expectations”, continues John, “The manager of the bus company greeted Shaun as he boarded and from start until finish, Shaun was in awe. It was wonderful to see how much joy this experience gave Shaun.” 

Sue Brown, Support Manager for Ambient Support in Suffolk, added:

“At Ambient Support we always aim to provide support and activities that are personalised to an individual’s hopes and aspirations. Without the initiative of the team who are supporting him, this once-in-a-lifetime experience wouldn’t have happened, they created magic at a time when magic seemed unavailable- knowing he was the first and only passenger on the bus absolutely made Shaun’s day.”

Find and follow Ambient on Facebook for more extraordinary stories like Shaun’s.