Greg Freeth was grappling with how he would be able to get into work after securing a job as a Mechanical Engineering Apprentice at Plymouth Dockyard. That was until he received a LiveWest grant so he could access Wheels 2 Work – a scheme offering two-wheeled transport to people in communities throughout Devon.
Greg, 42, loaned the scooter for three months to allow him to get to work and he has never looked back.
Greg said: “It was the ease of it which attracted me in the first place.
“It is very difficult to park immediately close to the dockyard and it often imposes on people’s private homes.
“To drive a bike is so much easier as you get a pass and can park on site.
“I was surprised that I was able to get a grant from LiveWest, but their help has made so much difference.
“Being an apprentice on a limited wage, you can imagine how grateful I am.
“It shows how much LiveWest cares about its customers.”
Devon Wheels 2 Work is a Community Interest Company, based near Holsworthy, which aims to enable people, who are isolated and on low incomes, to access employment.
The initiative is designed to remove barriers that are stopping people from accessing the same work opportunities as others
Greg added: “This is an excellent idea and should be available to more people. It can potentially make a huge difference to your employment opportunities.
“It could make all the difference to whether someone is able to take a job.
“My advice to anyone considering using the scheme is just do it. It worked brilliantly for me.”
Our Community Connector Alison Knight said: “We have an exciting track record of supporting our customers into employment through providing transport.
“It is important that everyone has the same opportunities to access work and it was great to be able to issue a grant to Greg to help him with his journey.
“The Wheels 2 Work scheme helps to remove barriers that stop our residents accessing the same opportunities as other people.”
Click here to find out more about our grants programme and how we might be able to help you.