Up Close with: Hucknall based taxi company Ideal Cars

Hucknall Nub News aims to be supportive to every element of the community, from businesses, shops, and people, to charities, clubs and sports organisations.

We will be profiling some of these local businesses, and groups regularly over the coming weeks in a feature called 'Up Close With'.

The first in this series is with Lynne Ryland, Contracts and Commercial manager of Ideal Cars.

Ideal Cars was formed in August 2015 by Danny Mellors, who had considerable previous experience in the private hire taxi industry before deciding to start his own business.

Mr Mellors, born in Hucknall, has a firm belief in serving the community and giving something back to help local people. This is something that underpins the entire ethos of Ideal Cars.

This has been even more evident during the Coronavirus pandemic as the company have stepped in to help people in any way they can.

Although demand for taxis has been reduced during the pandemic as people have been encouraged to only make essential journeys, this hasn't prevented Ideal Cars from carrying out vital services. This has included transporting keyworkers to and from work and collecting prescriptions and shopping for elderly people unable to leave their houses.

Ms Ryland said: "A lot of people have been reluctant to use taxis but we've still had the keyworkers to get to work, the hospital workers, and journeys going to City Hospital and the QMC.

"We've had a good contract with a company where they wanted to get their workers to work so they provided a taxi for them, so we've still been going through and hence we had the funding for the prescription collection and the shopping for the elderly."

The company estimate they have helped over 50 local people through their prescription and shopping collection service, and they are still providing this service even though a lot of the Covid restrictions have been relaxed.

As well as this, Ideal Cars had the idea to start collecting and storing charitable donations at the end of last year when the charity shops were closed.

"I think it was November/December time last year. We had a drivers' room in the building where because of Covid the drivers couldn't come through. We thought we have a fleet of three minibuses so once those charity shops could open that we would take those donations in but our drivers' room was getting overrun with donations.

"We did have to stop but what we did is we evolved it, we had a garage space given to us so we opened the garage space, got tonne bags and filled them with clothes. Basically, we can turn up on Hucknall Market (or various locations in the town) and just pop-up, hence it's called the PUSH Hub Pop-up support hub.

"We've got clothes, we've got baby stuff, we've got toys, we've got books so if it's needed in the community, because Hucknall Community gave, we can give back to the community and support a lot of the poverty areas."

In the Pop-Up support hubs, where applicable, Ideal Cars ask for small donations for items and this has led to them raising good amounts of money that they have then been able to give back to worthy causes in Hucknall.

"75% of the stuff that is in that garage is free but in one week we made over £500 (from small donations) so £150 of that went to Hillside to support them to reach their target for their defibrillator.

"We gave £500 out to school clubs to support them. The stipulation is that the money raised by the Hub and Ideal Cars Community stays in Hucknall."

On certain days during the last two weeks, Ideal Cars have opened their support hub in their offices on Beardall Street to continue to support those in need.

Asked about what motivates the company to keep doing these selfless gestures, Ms Ryland said: "Just the community, the positive and amazing contribution that the community want to give, so why would you stop?"

Ms Ryland also runs OT fundraisers, which is named after her son, Owen Towle, who has a rare genetic condition called Prader-Willi syndrome.

"Three years ago when I started OT fundraisers, my son, he wanted to give back, he likes to help and support in the community as well, so OT fundraisers runs alongside Ideal Cars Community. The community loves Owen. It gives Owen a purpose and it gives Ideal Cars a purpose as well."

Ideal Cars have been met by immense generosity and willingness to help from the people of Hucknall for which they are incredibly grateful. The people's appreciation for what Ms Ryland and Ideal Cars have done, particularly over the last 18 months, was reflected when they won twice at Ashfield Council's Covid awards. Ms Ryland was given the Discover Ashfield Ambassador Award and Ideal Cars won the business runner-up award.

Of the town's response, Ms Ryland said: "I think people just want to give. The community is very, very supportive. I've been in awe; I've been overwhelmed by it. In fact, it has made me quite emotional and to even get nominated by people to be the Discover Ashfield Ambassador award, I'm honoured.

"All I've gone and done is just something that from day to day you just think we can do that let's get on and do it. It's just common sense that I've put my commercial skills to use and said let's do this, let's engage the community.

"Both me and Danny don't do anything for any recognition whatsoever, we do it purely for just keeping Hucknall community on a positive note and if they need it and we can do it, we'll do it."

Ideal Cars' website can be found here and their community Facebook page can be found here .