A vital transport service helping vulnerable patients reach hospital appointments has been thrown a £7,500 lifeline by Haslemere Town Council – but organisers say the fight to secure its future is far from over.

Waverley hoppa Community Transport has been awarded the grant to help maintain essential services, including Hospital Hoppa, which provides door-to-door, wheelchair-accessible transport for residents travelling to medical appointments.

The funding comes after the charity launched a £40,000 appeal to keep Hospital Hoppa running for another year amid rising operating costs, increased demand and the loss of a long-standing grant.

General manager Richard Davies said: “Although the £7,500 grant will certainly go some way towards helping us continue to provide safe, reliable, accessible transport to those who need it most, we continue to seek additional sources of funding so we can meet the transport needs of the community.”

Hospital Hoppa currently transports around 100 patients each month to appointments at the Royal Surrey, Haslemere Hospital and Milford Hospital.

The charity says demand is continuing to rise, with increasing numbers of requests for hospital journeys alongside the growing popularity of its hoppa Shoppa service, which takes residents to shops, leisure activities and other important trips.

The Mayor of Haslemere, Councillor Jacquie Keen, said: “Waverley hoppa is a fantastic service that offers local people the opportunity to get out and about. At £3 for a single fare, the rates are reasonable. Without the service, many older and vulnerable residents would be isolated at home.

“Haslemere Town Council is happy to support hoppa with a grant of £7,500. We are lucky to have hoppa Shoppa and Hospital Hoppa because there are a lot of elderly people who do not have relatives or friends that they can depend on to take them shopping or to hospital appointments.”

The £40,000 Hospital Hoppa fundraising appeal remains open. Donations can be made at www.hoppa.org.uk/hospital-hoppa-fundraising/.