Southern Vectis is throwing its support behind Mountbatten Isle of Wight - by naming the charity as its official good cause for 2024 and 2025.

The local bus operator will spend the next two years raising funds and awareness to help the hospice provide care and support for local people with life limiting illnesses, and their loved ones to help Mountbatten provide 24/7 care and support for thousands of local people across the Island in their homes, the hospice building in Newport, and St Mary’s Hospital. 

“This is a crucial local resource, supporting people with death and dying, and also offering relatives and friends free bereavement support,” said Southern Vectis general manager, Richard Tyldsley. 

“Our corporate charity is voted for by the Southern Vectis team. Many of my colleagues have benefited directly from the support Mountbatten provides, so we are delighted to be backing this very worthy cause, and raising as much money as possible over the coming years.”

Southern Vectis has a busy calendar of fundraising planned, and is also promoting the charity on-board and on the rear of a bus.

Claire Treasure, Mountbatten’s corporate partnerships fundraiser, added: “We are thrilled to be chosen as Southern Vectis’s corporate charity, and very much look forward to working closely with them. 

“Mountbatten currently supports over 2,000 people everyday, and demand for our services continues to grow. We rely so much on the generosity of our Island community to ensure we can continue caring for local people. 

“Working with Southern Vectis gives us a great boost, both in raising money and awareness about the support and services Mountbatten can provide.”

"The Mountbatten nurses came into our house with such calmness and kindness that we realised immediately that they knew what they were doing, and that gave us confidence… we knew there was a hospice on the island, but we had no idea the extent of what you did. I saw the article in the County Press about your new Coordination Centre and I am so glad that I called the number. It was such a relief and that is healing in itself. It was as if we had found paradise…"