Giant buss pass for bus-mad priest
Father Mike Sheffield, Parish Priest at St George’s Church, Waterlooville, was surprised by his congregation when they broke into song to celebrate him turning 63 – the age when you can get a free bus pass.
As they all sang The Wheels on the Bus, Fr Mike could not hide his joy at their creation.
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Hide AdHe said: ‘I’ve always loved buses and my congregation know that.
‘I think it all began when I was a boy in Essex and travelled to school on the bus.
‘Ever since then I’ve loved them and was looking forward to getting my bus pass.
‘But obviously I had to wait because the age you get them has been pushed back from 60 to 63.’
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Hide AdAs well as singing to him, the congregation presented Fr Mike with a huge cake with a bright red bus on it.
His wife Lynda said: ‘Very unusually for him, he was completely lost for words.’
To celebrate his birthday Fr Mike made the most of his pass and went on an eight-hour bus trip from Waterlooville, through Havant, on to Chichester and Selsey, then back again.
He said: ‘It was a lovely day. Bright and beautiful.
‘I took my wife Lynda with me, although she doesn’t share my passion for busses.
‘We took the 700 and the 51 down to Selsey.
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Hide Ad‘My next trip is going to be north to Petersfield, then Winchester and back round in a circle. I’m really looking forward to it.’
Unusually, Fr Mike is not a fan of old buses.
His favourite is the Enviro 400 – a double decker with all the mod cons, used by Stagecoach for the local 700 Coastliner service.
Fr Mike said: ‘It’s definitely the modern ones I like rather than the old ones.
‘The Enviro 400’s chassis is actually made in Guildford, although the body is made in Scotland.’