Fundraiser started after Blue Hope coffee van accident

A devastating accident has temporarily halted the outreach efforts of a Queensland not-for-profit, but the community is stepping up to help get them back on the road.

The Blue Hope team was involved in an accident that left their outreach trailer destroyed. Photo: Contributed

The community is rallying behind a Queensland not-for-profit after an accident destroyed their outreach coffee trailer.

The Blue Hope team were travelling in Western Queensland last month when an accident caused their coffee trailer to part ways with the tow vehicle.

Their trailer ended up on its roof on the side of the highway.

Richard Mactaggart, a former Queensland police officer and friend of Blue Hope’s driving force, Andrew Ayers, said it was a scary experience for everyone involved.

“Andrew, who was driving the tow vehicle at the time, said it was incredibly nerve-racking to see his tow vehicle being overtaken by the trailer,” he said.

The damage to the van was extensive, with early assessments suggesting it may be beyond repair and if that was the case Mr Mactaggart said the Blue Hope team would be looking at spending $60,000 or $70,000 to replicate what was destroyed.

The Blue Hope outreach trailer before the accident. Photo: Contributed

He said while coffee vans were everywhere, the nature of the work meant it had to be built to withstand more than most.

“They really do drag this coffee van the length and breadth of the state,” he said.

“They do many, many thousands of kilometres on dirt roads and unsealed pavement roads.”

Repairing or replacing will be costly for the charity. Photo: Contributed

Blue Hope’s mission is to provide much needed support for the mental health of current and former police officers and travelling to far flung regions was a vital part of the organisation’s outreach efforts.

“A lot of these police stations, particularly out west and in the far north, they’re only one and two person police stations and a lot of these officers, I’m sure by virtue of the fact that these communities are fairly isolated and small, feel a bit isolated and feel a bit remote,” said Mr Mactaggart.

The Blue Hope team drives across Queensland providing on the ground support to police officers. Photo: Contributed

“To have the Blue Hope team turn up and provide a friendly face, I think they enjoy it immensely.”

Mr Mactaggart is based in Mackay and said he regularly caught up with the team as they were passing through central and north Queensland and thought the work they were doing had a positive impact on the communities.

“Anything that we can do to support police officers and their families around the state is a very good thing,” he said.

The fully kitted out van may have to be replaced entirely. Photo: Contributed

He said when he saw how the accident had impacted Blue Hope he knew he needed to get the organisation some financial support.

Mr Mactaggart set up a GoFundMe in an effort to get Blue Hope back on the road as quickly as possible.

“It became immediately apparent when they had this accident that they were going to need as much help as they could get,” he said.

The response has been swift with donations rolling in from police officers, businesses, and other community members and he was hopeful the team would be back out supporting police officers very soon.