BIG-hearted bus company staff have driven up the funds for the Wigan and Leigh Society for the Blind.

The charity has received a cheque for £240 from First Manchester to help pay for group activities.

It was once again the choice of the Melverly Street, Wigan, depot to benefit from the firm's charitable contributions scheme, in which regular donations volunteered by employees are matched pound for pound by the company.

The scheme has been a great success and for the year ended December 1999 there was a total of £10,080 to be distributed to 67 groups.

The Society for the Blind is one of the Wigan depot's favourites and has been a previous recipient.

The charity has over 700 members in the Wigan and Leigh area and organises a full programme of member activities covering a wide range of interests.

One of the most recent and successful events was a driving day when, under the guidance of qualified tutors, members were able to take control of a car for themselves or experience the exhilaration of riding pillion on a motorcycle.

Society secretary, Gordon Winnard, said: "Thanks to the staff and company for this tremendous gift. It will be put into our general fund which helps to meet the costs of all the activities we organise and where it will benefit the majority of our members."