Vaccinators Tour Bus named after bus driver who died of Covid-19

The donated bus has been named Mick Captain Capper in memory of long-serving Stagecoach East employee Mick Capper, known to colleagues as The Captain, who sadly passed away in April after contracting COVID-19.

The Vaccinators Tour Bus, led by Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) is not in use yet.

Hitting the road very soon, The Vaccinators will be visiting a range of locations across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough with their new tour bus.

It is a partnership effort with support from Stagecoach East, Cambridgeshire County Council, Peterborough City Council, Cambridgeshire Community Services (CCS), and community pharmacy teams.

Dr Gary Howsam, Chair of the CCG and local GP, said: “The Vaccinators Tour Bus is a fantastic partnership effort between the local NHS, pharmacists, the local authorities and Stagecoach East, designed to deliver COVID-19 vaccinations to local people in a range of new locations across our area, and I want to say a big thank you to everyone who has been involved with getting the tour bus on the road.

“The Vaccinators will be starting their tour in their distinctively branded blue and white bus very shortly, offering first and second doses of the Pfizer vaccine to anyone aged 18 or above.

“There is no need to book an appointment or even get a ticket, people can simply walk up to the bus and get a vaccination.

“It’s important to us that nobody is left behind on the vaccination programme, and even more important that people get not just one, but two jabs for maximum protection against COVID-19.

“So I would encourage everyone who still needs a jab to hop on board and get your vaccine!”

Darren Roe, managing director at Stagecoach East, said: “We are proud to have donated a bus to support the crucial COVID-19 vaccination effort.

“Our blue and white NHS bus will be playing a vital role in the ‘Vaccinators on Tour’ campaign, which will bring vaccination services to local communities.

"The donated bus has been named ‘Mick Captain Capper’ in memory of long-serving Stagecoach East employee Mick Capper, known to colleagues as ‘The Captain’, who sadly passed away in April after contracting COVID-19.

“I would like to say a big thank you to our engineering teams across our four depots, who helped us to convert the service bus into a fully functioning mobile vaccination unit, fitted with a bed, vaccine fridges and cubicles.

“We are pleased that the bus, and our fantastic team of drivers from the Fenstanton depot, will be able to support the valuable work of the NHS, and we look forward to helping local communities across the East get their vaccinations."

You can find out where the Vaccinators tour bus will be appearing to vaccinate people soon by visiting www.thevaccinators.co.uk

But COVID-19 vaccinations are already easily available across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough via pre-booked appointments at large sites, pharmacists and some local GPs, as well as via walk-in and pop-up clinics at a range of locations across the area, making it as easy as possible to get your vaccination.