The Blue Lamp Trust

The Blue Lamp Trust is a charity that Winchester Motor Company is proud to support. We supply the Blue Lamp Trust with a Skoda Octavia SEL 1.0 TSI which allows the trust to carry out road safety training and taxi assessments with DVSA approved assessors, the proceeds of which are spent on victims of crime and the vulnerable in society. It is our way of giving something back to the community and helps make Hampshire a safer place to live.

The Blue Lamp Trust is a non-profit organisation that is dedicated to enhancing the community’s safety throughout Hampshire and the Isle of Wight. The entirety of the profits supports the ‘Bobby Scheme’ which is a free service that provides practical home security to the vulnerable and elderly of our communities, such as free home security visits and lifelong smoke alarms, ensuring they feel safe in their homes.

The Bobby Trust began life in 1998 as one man and one van, working out of a police station. It was funded by Hampshire Police together with Hampshire County Council. With a mixture of personalised advice and practical assistance, the scheme set out to help victims of burglary and the vulnerable to feel safe again, and at the same time, reduce the risk of repeat crimes. The fitters could replace locks, fit security chains and smoke alarms, and advise the clients on the best ways to keep their homes secure

Since its foundation in 2010, the Trust has expanded considerably and now has a team of five fitters operating in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight. The Trust remains a non-profit organisation and is headed by a Board of Trustees including the Chief Constable of Hampshire Police, the Chief Fire Officer for Hampshire, local MP’s and local businessmen including Mark Mills-Goodlet, Managing Director of Winchester Motor Group.

The Trust is located at the Hampshire Police and Fire and Rescue headquarters at Eastleigh.

Today the Trust is managed by Jim Bettley, a former Chief Inspector of Hampshire Police.

Group Managing Director Mark Mills-Goodlet says ‘Having heard first hand from the Chief Constable of Hampshire Police on how important the Blue Lamp Trust and the Bobby Scheme is to policing in Hampshire, Winchester Motor Company is delighted to support the organisation with the loan of a Skoda to allow them to raise the required funds for the Bobby Scheme.