Well-known TV presenter Dougie Vipond, Sportscene host and the front man of BBC2 Scotland's The Adventure Show, was in Aviemore to record a clip for the "Primetime" show to be screened later this year.

He was on hand on Friday to help out with "Where 2 Today?", a project managed by the Badenoch and Strathspey Community Transport Company.

The future of the organisation which runs the popular community car scheme in the strath is under threat because public funding runs out early next year – so a win and the cash would throw a lifeline to the BSCTC itself.

The former Deacon Blue drummer, who still joins up with Ricky Ross and his bandmates when commitments allow for the odd gig, met with volunteers and people who receive assistance through the scheme.

The affectionately termed "Trolley Dollies" help the elderly and disabled with their shopping at Tesco in the village each week as part of the subsidised taxi shopping service.

The TV man was on hand to assist a couple of visually-impaired locals with their trip.

BSCTC project manager Maggie Lawson joked: "Unfortunately, Dougie wasn't very good at reading the shopping list in braille!"

Primetime is BBC Scotland and the Big Lottery Fund's new initiative giving 18 projects the chance to win up to a whopping £500,000 each, aiming at improving lives for Scotland's over-50s.

Ms Lawson said that the transport company's "Where 2 Today?" project aims to reduce isolation and increase community involvement, well-being and self-esteem among the over-50s.

Like many European countries, Scotland has an increasingly older population, and within the next 10 years half of all people will be over the age of 50.

Maggie Lawson and Dougie Vipond filming for the new show.

The BSCTC has been short-listed along with two other projects in the Highlands and Islands.

The filming, which was carried out over four days, will be shown on BBC2 in the autumn, and viewers will be asked to vote on their favourite project.

The scheme with the biggest number of votes will have the chance to win up to £500,000 over five years.

Ms Lawson commented: "It is vitally important we win this vote. Our money runs out next March, and without new funding we will not be able to continue helping hundreds of people throughout the communities who are housebound and need door-to-door community transport."

The BSCTC's community car scheme, which currently has almost 1,000 registered clients and makes over 350 journeys per month, would have to be scrapped if new founding can not be found.

One lady from Grantown who uses the service said: "I would be totally housebound without the community car scheme. I can't walk to a bus stop.

"The car scheme is affordable and the drivers are all so helpful and have become my friends."

musgrove_g@spp-group.com

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