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Gallery Latest News Documentary
  (It's a large QuickTime Movie, so you could download to watch later, but we've set the window to pop-up so you can leave it loading in the background and view it later ...)

Caroline Smith runs Addidas Half Marathon
Caroline Smith an ex SOS Bus team member ran the Addidas Women’s Half Marathon on Sunday 7th September and raised...
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Visit by Kent Police
The SOS Bus was visited by a contingent from Kent Police who are interested in setting up their own project.
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Lord Mayors Procession 2008
The SOS Bus team took part in the Lord Mayors Procession with the theme being 'SOS'. Team member Neil...
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How the project started

In late 2000 two teenagers were found dead in the river after a night out in the city clubland area. A short while later a third young person was found dead in the toilets of a city nightclub due to alcohol related problems. The age of these youths was from 17-21 years of age.

These tragic events received a lot of media attention in the local papers. The City’s nightclub Managers decided to come together and form a Nightclub
Liaison Committee. They invited statutory and voluntary agencies to join with them to try and prevent any further tragedies.
 From those discussions a public meeting was called which was well attended. Further meetings then took place and it was decided that the following was needed in the city centre to make it safer for any person visiting the area:

1. A radio system that linked all the clubs, pubs and the police together.

2. A sticker that could be displayed in pub and club windows which showed that anybody in trouble could use the phone at those premises, free of charge, to phone for help or to call home.

3. A safe haven for people to attend at time of need for whatever reason.

 
Radio system A radio system was soon established; it connected the clubs and pubs on a Friday and Saturday night to the Police, CCTV, a 24-hour control centre and the SOS Bus. Since its introduction it has been an invaluable tool both for the clubs and the police.

SOS Sticker The ‘SOS - Phone a friend from here’ sticker was designed by a local company and printed and paid for by our local Evening News.

SOS Bus (safe haven) A local church -Proclaimers in Norwich - offered the use of their ex-Berlin city bus as a mobile safe haven. It is a 57 foot long bendi-bus with running water, power and heating. The community and local businesses provided all the items that were required to make the project work. Within six weeks the SOS Bus was on the streets. The launch date was 27th April 2001.
 Latest news....

The launch of the new and improved SOS Bus project took place on Friday 21st November 2008

The money from the campaign to purchase new vehicles after the breakdown of the old SOS bendi-bus has enabled the project to expand with the purchase of two new vehicles - an 11.8m Optare Versa and an 8.8m Optare Solo.

The Versa is the new SOS/Educational Bus and is available during the day for use by schools and agencies as well as being out at the weekend operating as a safe haven.

The Solo is a fully equipped medical unit, providing increased medical care to clients and therefore saving the resources of the A&E department. Both buses are operational during an SOS bus shift.

St John Ambulance First Responders are using the SOS Bus as a city centre base of operations and also have their own vehicle for quick response.

Please see the rest of our website for more information.
 Latest statistics....

From April 2001 to November 2008 the Original SOS Bus helped 5050 people

From November 2008 the new SOS Bus has helped 222 people and the Medical Unit has given aid to 128 people

Please see our Press section for more detailed statistics
 
Mission Statement

"The SOS Bus is a multi-agency initiative to meet the needs of any person in Norwich's clubland at night. It is a first point of contact for those whose well-being is threatened by: inability to get home, illness or injury, emotional distress or other vulnerability"

Primary purpose of project

To offer immediate assistance to clients at risk presenting themselves to the facility.


Such client needs could be:

  • Drug or alcohol related
  • Emotional distress
  • Social isolation caused by aggressive behaviour
  • Lack of immediate finance
  • Relationship breakdown

  • Queens Award Logo
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    Please browse our site using the contents list on the left. You'll find lots of information about the Home Safe & Sound Project, the SOS Bus, and all about the people & organisations who help to run it, and who have helped to get it up and running.
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