A LIFESAVING addition to Colchester’s nightlife is celebrating its first anniversary.

The Open Road SOS and Community Bus was officially launched last November – and has been doing good work ever since. On its first outing, managed to save the life of a reveller who was an undiagnosed diabetic.

At first the bus was only parked in the High Street on Saturday nights from 9pm until 4am, but extra funding means it is a regular fixture on Friday nights as well.

Manned by volunteers, the bus offers a safe haven for drunken, injured, vulnerable and lonely people having a night out in the town.

In its first year, volunteers have spoken to 735 people and given first aid or medical treatment to 213 of them.

Most would otherwise have needed an ambulance or ended up in the local casualty department.

The team also took more than 100 people directly to hospital because they were too ill to be treated on the bus.

People who are too scared to go home because of violence or domestic situations have also been helped to find a place of safety for the night.

St John Ambulance staff are on hand to patch up wounds, help the sick and to look after anyone until they can get a lift to safety. Volunteers on board hand out free condoms and bottles of water, provided by NHS North East Essex, as well as tea, coffee and hot chocolate.

They also give out glow sticks, advertising the bus to people going to the town’s pubs and clubs.

Door staff in the town get weekly visits from volunteers to remind them of the SOS bus emergency mobile number and give revellers cards printed with the number. During the day, the bus is used by 35 different organisations and tours the borough offering advice on health, finance, benefits, crime reduction, fire safety, housing and many other topics.

Debbie Farthing, the bus’s co-ordinator, said: “The SOS bus has proved to be a valuable asset to Colchester and the borough.

“I would like to acknowledge the support our partners, Essex Police, Colchester Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership, NHS North East Essex, Essex County Council, Colchester Council, Essex Fire and Rescue service and St John Ambulance have provided.

“I would also like to thank the truly wonderful SOS bus volunteers, without whom we could not offer such a valuable service.

“It is down to their dedication, commitment and compassion the SOS Bus has been able to have such a positive impact on the night time economy.”

l To volunteer for the SOS bus, call Debbie on 01206 766096.