Hospital shuttlebus returns after fundraising effort

The minibus service links the Red Funnel terminals with Southampton General Hospital

A free shuttlebus link transporting cancer patients from the Isle of Wight to hospital in Southampton has been restored after a fundraising effort.

Wessex Cancer Support's Daisy Bus service was withdrawn earlier this year after funding ended.

A community interest company (CIC) on the Isle of Wight has since been set up to run a new, rebranded Daisy Ring Bus, with volunteer drivers and support from ferry operator Red Funnel.

The CIC said it meant it could continue to support patients on "one of the hardest journeys of their lives".

Wessex Cancer Support's Daisy Bus was used by patients travelling for treatment from the Isle of Wight and the Channel Islands and staying in hotels in Southampton.

Patients from the island described it as an "essential" service for anyone travelling for cancer treatment on the mainland.

In August, the Government of Jersey said it was withdrawing funding as falling numbers of patients from Jersey meant it was costing £60 per passenger journey - significantly more than a taxi fare.

'It's a lifeline'

A community interest company was set up of the Isle of Wight and kept the service running as a temporary minibus taxi, following fundraising.

The new bus is scheduled to run five times a day between the Leonardo Hotel and Town Quay, taking patients to University Hospital Southampton (UHS).

Red Funnel is housing the vehicle and providing free travel for the volunteer drivers travelling daily to and from the mainland.

Posting on its website, the CIC said continuing the service was "vital" to cancer patients on the island.

It said: "It's not just the treatment that's tough, it's the travel. The cost, the stress, and the sheer exhaustion can make an already difficult time feel overwhelming.

"Our bus isn't just a vehicle. It's a lifeline.

"It offers patients safe, reliable transport, free of charge - and with it, a sense of dignity, community, and care."