WELCOME TO POD
We are delighted with how many of you have signed up to our newsletter so far. There is real demand in the valley for a new car share scheme in the Upper Calder Valley!
A quick update on where we’re at with setting up the scheme:
- We have registered POD as a community benefit society so that we are able to offer and promote community shares, and also so that we are eligible for future grant opportunities.
- We have secured £5,000 in funding from Hebden Royd Town Council.
- We are applying to the Rural Prosperity Fund for £100,000.
- We are applying to other grants, including the Community Foundation for Calderdale (£5,000).
- We have drawn up a business plan and financial projections. Our plan, at the moment, is that we will operate with 4 cars (2 electric and 2 hybrid), with 2 cars in Hebden Bridge and 2 cars in Todmorden. This is dependent on demand and the location of sign-ups. In the longer run, we would like to expand and develop POD to cover a wider area.
- We will become a franchise of the national community interest company Co-Wheels (co wheels.org.uk) which will cover the car insurance as well as providing the administrative function of booking and billing. It does this by installing telematics in each car, and issuing a smart card to all members.
It’s a really exciting project and we are hopeful to share good news with you soon on the grant applications. Until then, we cannot give more information on timescales, but if successful, we hope to be operational by late 2024/early 2025.
One last thing… We will be emailing our subscribers soon to ask for your help! We are currently a very small team of volunteers and to get POD up and running we know we’re going to need more helping hands. Whether you’re interested in joining the new Board of POD or have some skills you’d like to offer such as financial management or electric car support, please get in touch with us.
This is an exciting time to be developing a scheme like this, giving increased mobility to residents, introducing people to electric vehicles and helping to reduce the number of cars congesting our beautiful valley. Let’s make it a success together!
Rose Wheeler
Hannah Nadim
Jamie Furlong