Lagan Valley Rural Transport

05/06/2026

🎉 Congratulations to Aaron McIntyre , Deputy Mayor of Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council 🎉

Everyone at Lagan Valley Rural Transport would like to extend our warmest congratulations to Councillor Aaron McIntyre on his appointment as Deputy Mayor of Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council.

We wish Aaron every success in his new role and look forward to working alongside him in supporting the residents and communities of the Council area.

Community partnerships are vital to helping people stay connected, and we value the ongoing support and collaboration of Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council in enhancing transport and accessibility opportunities for local people.

👏 Congratulations, Deputy Mayor McIntyre, and best wishes for a successful and rewarding year ahead.

💙 Connecting People. Connecting Communities.



Lagan Valley Alliance Sorcha Eastwood MP- Lagan Valley Michelle Guy MLA
David Honeyford MLA

05/06/2026

🎉 Congratulations to Councillor Brian Higginson , Mayor of Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council 🎉

Everyone at Lagan Valley Rural Transport would like to extend our sincere congratulations to Councillor Brian Higginson on his appointment as Mayor of Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council.

This is a tremendous honour, and we wish Brian every success as he undertakes this important role representing communities across the Council area.

We look forward to continuing our positive relationship with the Mayor and Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council as we work together to support local people, strengthen communities, and improve accessibility for those who rely on community transport services.

👏 Congratulations, Mayor Higginson, and best wishes for a successful year ahead.

💙 Connecting People. Connecting Communities.



Lagan Valley DUP Emma Little-Pengelly MLA Paul Givan MLA

05/06/2026

🎉🌟 Celebrating Our Team! 🌟🎉

Everyone at Lagan Valley Rural Transport is thrilled to announce that our staff team has been nominated in the Community Group Category of the BBC Radio Ulster and Radio Foyle Make a Difference Awards.

This nomination is a fantastic recognition of the dedication, compassion, and hard work of our entire team, who work every day to connect people, support independence, and strengthen communities across the Lisburn & Castlereagh area.

From coordinating journeys and supporting passengers to working alongside community groups and partner organisations, our team is committed to ensuring that accessible transport is available to those who need it most.

This nomination reflects the passion, professionalism, and commitment shown by our staff every day. It is also a testament to the positive impact that community transport has on reducing isolation, improving accessibility, and helping people remain connected to the services and activities that matter most.

We are incredibly proud to have our work recognised through these prestigious awards and would like to thank everyone who supports Lagan Valley Rural Transport.

👏 Congratulations to our amazing team on this well-deserved nomination!

💙 Connecting People. Connecting Communities.



Emma Little-Pengelly MLA Paul Givan MLA Michelle Guy MLA David Honeyford MLA Robbie Butler MLA

04/06/2026

📢 We Need Your Help! 📢

Lagan Valley Rural Transport is delighted to be involved in the Creating Connections Research Project, which aims to better understand the experiences, needs, and challenges faced by disabled children, young people, and their families.

To ensure the research reflects real experiences, we are inviting the following groups to complete a short survey:

✅ Parents and carers of disabled children and young people aged up to 25 years
✅ Young people aged 16–25 with lived experience of disability

Your views are incredibly important and will help shape future services, support, and opportunities for disabled children and young people.

By taking a few minutes to complete the survey, you can help ensure that the voices of disabled young people and their families are heard and represented.

💙 Thank you for helping us create stronger connections and better outcomes for our communities.

Please share this post with anyone who may be interested in taking part.





Paul Givan MLA Michelle Guy MLA David Honeyford MLA Sorcha Eastwood MP- Lagan Valley Robbie Butler MLA Emma Little-Pengelly MLA Alderman Amanda Grehan Councillor for Lisburn South Alderman Amanda Grehan Lagan Valley DUP Lagan Valley Alliance Lisburn Sinn Féin

The Community Transport Association is researching the transport barriers faced by disabled children and young people, and parents and carers play a vital role in this.

Funded by Motability Foundation, this survey is gathering real experiences to help shape more inclusive and accessible transport solutions for families.

Share your views and be part of the change: https://accessiblesurveys.com/v2/1qcPfe0NrrNgrIzhBBNS/intro

04/06/2026

🎉🚐 Tonight We Celebrate Stephen Cochrane – CT26 MiDAS Driver of the Year Finalist! 🚐🎉

Everyone at Lagan Valley Rural Transport is incredibly proud to celebrate Stephen Cochrane as he attends the CT26 Awards this evening as a finalist in the MiDAS Driver of the Year Award, sponsored by GM Coachwork.

Stephen has been a valued member of the LVRT team for almost 10 years and is well known throughout our communities for his professionalism, kindness, and dedication to passenger safety. Every day, he goes above and beyond to ensure that those who rely on community transport can travel with confidence, comfort, and dignity.

MiDAS-trained drivers play a vital role in community transport, ensuring they are well-prepared, confident, and equipped to deliver safe and reliable services. More importantly, they have the ability to make a real difference to a passenger's day. Stephen embodies these qualities and consistently demonstrates the values that are at the heart of community transport.

The CT26 Awards recognise the drivers who help shape the community transport movement, and we are delighted to see Stephen's outstanding commitment and contribution recognised on a national stage.

As awards night arrives, we would like to wish Stephen the very best of luck. Whatever the outcome, we are immensely proud of his achievement and grateful for the difference he makes to the lives of our passengers every day.

👏 Good luck, Stephen – your LVRT family is behind you all the way!

💙 Connecting People. Connecting Communities.

MiDAS trained drivers play a vital role in ensuring that they are always well-prepared, confident, and equipped to deliver safe and reliable community transport services. They can make a huge difference to their passengers day.

The CT26 Awards recognise the drivers who shape the community transport movement, and we’re proud to reveal the shortlisted finalists for MiDAS Driver of the Year, sponsored by GM Coachwork.

• Darren Shore (The Sprint Community Transport)
• Stephen Cochrane (Lagan Valley Rural Transport)
• Daniel Winch (Ballard School)

A huge congratulations to all three fantastic MiDAS drivers!

Visit the CTA website to see the full CT26 Awards shortlist.

04/06/2026

🎉🌟 Celebrating Heather Brady during Volunteers' Week! 🌟🎉

As we celebrate Volunteers' Week 2026, everyone at Lagan Valley Rural Transport is delighted to congratulate Heather Brady on being nominated in the Volunteer Category of the BBC Radio Ulster and Radio Foyle Make a Difference Awards.

Heather's nomination is a fitting recognition of her dedication, kindness, and commitment to supporting others within our community. Through her volunteering, she has made a real and lasting difference to the lives of many people, helping to strengthen community connections and improve wellbeing across our area.

Volunteers are at the heart of everything we do at Lagan Valley Rural Transport. They help us connect people, combat loneliness and isolation, and ensure that individuals can access the services, activities, and opportunities that matter most to them. Heather's nomination perfectly reflects the incredible impact volunteers have every day.

During Volunteers' Week, we celebrate and thank all those who give their time to support others, and we are especially proud to see Heather's outstanding contribution recognised through these prestigious awards.

👏 Please join us in congratulating Heather on this fantastic achievement and wishing her the very best of luck!

💙 Thank you, Heather, and thank you to all our volunteers for the difference you make in our communities every day.



Emma Little-Pengelly MLA Michelle Guy MLA Paul Givan MLA Robbie Butler MLA David Honeyford MLA

04/06/2026

This Volunteers' Week, we want to say a heartfelt thank you to all of the incredible volunteers who support Lagan Valley Rural Transport.

Every day, volunteers help us connect people with their communities, reduce isolation, and ensure that those who may otherwise struggle to travel can access essential services, social activities, healthcare appointments, and opportunities to stay connected.

Their time, dedication, kindness, and commitment make a real difference across the Lisburn & Castlereagh area. Whether providing support behind the scenes, helping at community events, or contributing their skills and experience, our volunteers play a vital role in helping us deliver safe, reliable, and accessible transport services.

🚐 Because of our volunteers, people can remain independent, stay active in their communities, and maintain important social connections.

This week, we celebrate the positive impact our volunteers have on the lives of so many people and thank them for everything they do.

💙 Happy Volunteers' Week from everyone at Lagan Valley Rural Transport!

03/06/2026

🚌 Today, Michael was out on the road with the lovely members of St Paul's Lisburn on a trip to Newcastle.

We hope everyone enjoyed a fantastic day out, filled with good company, plenty of laughs, and some sunshine along the way!

Thank you for choosing us to be part of your journey, and we look forward to seeing you all again soon. 😊

02/06/2026

Community Connections 🤝

Today, our Manager Richard had the pleasure of attending a meeting at the headquarters of thernibnorthernireland to meet the Glacomona Support Group.

As a community transport provider, it was a valuable opportunity to hear directly from those living with sight loss, gain a better understanding of the challenges they face, and explore how community transport services can continue to improve accessibility and support independence for all passengers.

The discussions highlighted the importance of inclusive transport and the role it plays in helping people stay connected to their communities, attend appointments, and maintain social connections.

We are particularly looking forward to exploring future training opportunities for our drivers, helping to further enhance their awareness, understanding, and skills when supporting passengers with visual impairments and sight loss.

A sincere thank you to everyone involved for the warm welcome and for sharing their experiences. We look forward to continuing to work together to make community transport as accessible, welcoming, and inclusive as possible for everyone. 💙

31/05/2026

😊 Tommy wrapped up a busy week yesterday with his third group booking of the week, transporting members of Finaghy Baptist Church for a fun-filled trip to Airtastic, with a well-earned stop at McDonald’s along the way!

It’s always a pleasure to help groups get where they need to go safely and comfortably, and we’re grateful to Finaghy Baptist Church for choosing us for their transport needs.

Thank you for your support and for allowing us to be part of another great day out. We hope everyone had a fantastic time! 🙌

If you’re planning a group outing, we’d be delighted to help get you there.

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