A West Suffolk SOS Bus has received vital funding so it may reach fully operational status.
The National Lottery Communities fund has awarded a grant of £9,360 to the West Suffolk SOS Bus to take it from "minimal road-legal" to "fully operational".
SOS Bus volunteer John Borda said: "Anything to do with a bus that size is expensive. This funding will help with our maintenance so we can reach further afield."
The SOS Bus is a modified single-decker bus, originally designed to help the vulnerable in Newmarket's night-time economy.
On the inside, it has a reception area with seating and a kitchenette, and a private treatment or consultation area.
By providing the SOS Bus service on busy club nights in town, they hope to reduce the demand on A&E by rehydrating people to ensure they're sober enough to take a taxi home.
The SOS Bus first became operational in 2010 and John had a hand in contributing to its original design as a town pastor.
He said: "I'd been doing outreach work in the streets for six months prior, so understood the need for the SOS bus."
Thus far, the bus has mainly been operational in Newmarket and Bury St Edmunds, but the team hope to expand to the rest of Suffolk and parts of East Cambridgeshire.
The SOS Bus service had been mothballed for two years during the pandemic but was able to regain roadworthy status after a series of donations from local organisations.
It made its return to service at the Platinum Jubilee celebrations, where the organisers were able to raise awareness, give out plenty of water and help out a few first-aid cases.
Though the lottery fund donation makes a considerable dent in their fundraising target, the group is not stopping its efforts just yet.
It is still waiting for a final repair figure following the bus's last safety check and accepts donations via its GoFundMe page.
John added: "Donations would be brilliant, especially as our fuel prices have increased recently, but our main priority is currently recruiting volunteers."
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