Kendal boy gets Stagecoach experience thanks to council

Liam, who is supported by the Oaklea Trust and the Right2Work Programme, started the work last week.

Sam Plum, the chief executive at Westmorland and Furness Council, has played a large role in providing Liam with the assistance he needs.

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She said: "We carried out an accessibility survey in Kendal - we chatted a lot as we walked around and what Liam didn’t know about Stagecoach buses wasn’t worth knowing.

"Route details, timetables, drivers names, which ones I could take my bike on - he was a huge fan."

Liam learns the ropes on his first day at the depot in Kendal (Image: Sam Plum)

This prompted Mrs Plum to get in contact with Tom Waterhouse, who is the Managing Director at Stagecoach CNL, to ask if the company ever got involved with work placements.

"Roll forward another couple of months and some fantastic support from Mandy Morland at Oaklea, John, Paul and Steve at Stagecoach, and the carers where Liam lives, he's now had his first day of work experience," said Mrs Plum.

"Both Liam and the team at Stagecoach have given great feedback - Liam loved every minute and can’t wait to go back."

Mrs Plum described how she was only a small part of Liam's journey and that the positive result was down to a 'real team effort'.

"I know my job title gives me huge privileges to be heard and taken seriously and treated equally and I know many, many people are not in that position," she said.

"But if we keep focused on kindness and caring and looking out for each other then magic can happen - on days like that I really do think I have one of the best jobs there is."

Celebrating the success, Mrs Plum added that it exemplified how the council is focused on 'compassion and kindness'.

"We are committed to supporting all of our residents to reach their full potential, whatever that means to them," she said.