Last weekend I visited the SOS bus, and sat down with its volunteers to see some of the amazing work they do first hand.

Helping people across Norwich for over 22 years, the SOS bus has proven to be vital for thousands of people in 2022, offering their services to over 2600 people.

Amongst many other services, the SOS bus provides anti-spiking kits, a safe place to charge your phone, and help with injuries and mental health.

I was shocked to hear over 4300 hours of volunteer time has been dedicated to keeping the streets of Norwich safe, whilst saving the NHS over £123,000 in prevented ambulance callouts.

Such an essential service should not be threatened by cuts, as much of the support necessary to keep the SOS bus running already comes from fundraising and Voluntary Norfolk. Instead, the NHS Norfolk and Waveney Integrated Care Board should ensure that services like the SOS bus are supported adequately, and given the resources to keep up their fantastic work.

I am incredibly proud of the work those on the SOS bus are doing, it was a pleasure to meet them and listen to their stories.

Learn more about the SOS bus here.

Read more about the campaign to save the SOS bus here.