The free-wheeling vicar of a Dales parish has qualified as a bus driver to help ferry children to and from school.
Revd Jeff Payne of Middleham with Coverdale and East Witton and Thornton Steward spotted the need for a community bus driver due to a new relationship between two CoE primary schools.
He took an intensive PCV driving course in Doncaster and threw away his L Plates last week.
Revd Jeff and his wife Revd Liz Moody are school governors and learned of a transport issue which had arisen for Middleham and Spennithorne primary schools.
“Because of a new collaboration between the schools, Reception, Year 1 and Years 5 and 6 pupils are all taught at Middleham school, with Years 2, 3 and 4 at Middleham.
“Children are brought to their local school, then there is an obligation to transfer them to where they need to be,” Revd Jeff said.
“A 23 seater school bus had been bought in the summer and Liz suggested I might drive it as I enjoy driving!”
“I did the course and now have a Category D licence which allows me to drive double deckers and bendy buses.
“It’s so important to work within our communities and this is part of what I regard as ministry of presence,” Jeff said.