Stagecoach announces national charity partnerships and launches new ‘Giving for Good’ initiative

Stagecoach, the UK’s largest bus and coach operator, has today (14 June) announced new partnerships with four national charities as part of its ongoing approach to supporting the communities it serves. It has also announced the launch of its new initiative, ‘Stagecoach - Giving for Good’, to support its ongoing commitment to donate 0.5% of pre-tax profits every year to charitable causes.

After a rigorous policy and decision-making process, which included asking its 24,000 employees to vote on their preferred charity, Stagecoach has named its new national charity partners as:

• Missing People; a national charity that offers support to missing children and adults, and their loved ones.
• The Trussell Trust; who support a nationwide network of food bank centres to provide emergency food and support to people locked in poverty, and campaign for change to end the need for food banks in the UK.
• Roald Dahl’s Marvellous Children’s Charity; providing specialist nurses and support for seriously ill children.
• Happy Days; who help terminally ill, sick, disabled and abused children and young carers with respite breaks, holidays and day trips.

The four charities have been chosen to represent the key themes that Stagecoach is committed to supporting; Promoting health and wellbeing, supporting young people, skills and employment, addressing loneliness and social isolation and increasing accessibility and opportunity.

Stagecoach’s Sustainability Strategy, launched in summer 2021,  sets out the company’s vision to use the power of public transport to create better places to work and live. During its 42-year history, the transport group has played a key role in supporting the communities it serves and sharing success with local people and communities by funding the work of local, national and international charities.

As part of its new strategy, it has pledged to partner with charities to create improvements and developments for the communities it serves. These partnerships will help raise awareness of the charities internally and externally and support the charities in the work they do.

Marc Atkins-Turley, Stagecoach Director and Chair of the 'Giving for Good' Initiative, said: “We are extremely proud to have partnered with four fantastic causes that are close to the hearts of our people.

“Each partnership offers unique opportunities to help support our communities. From people who go missing or need support after a loved one has gone missing, to people facing financial hardship who need support from their community foodbank, and to children who without the generosity of others would have less quality of life. These charities represent some of the people we serve and I am proud that we are able to partner with them to grow awareness and help make a real difference.

“We are pleased that our Stagecoach – Giving for Good initiative is helping us to support these great charities and we look forward to seeing these partnerships develop over the next 12 months.”

Missing People are a national charity that offers support to missing children and adults, and their loved ones.

Jo Youle, CEO of Missing People said: “We are delighted to have been chosen as a charity partner by employees at Stagecoach. With an estimated 170,000 people going missing every year, having the support of Stagecoach - one of the largest transport providers in the UK - will provide a crucial role in helping to find people who have gone missing. Missing People is a lifeline for people who are missing. We are there for children and adults thinking of going missing and families left behind, through our free support services, and we appeal for those who have disappeared. We hope by working in partnership, we can offer even more missing people a lifeline!"

The Trussell Trust support a nationwide network of food bank centres to provide emergency food and support to people locked in poverty, and campaign for change to end the need for food banks in the UK.

Emma Revie, Chief Executive at the Trussell Trust, said: “We thank the team at Stagecoach for their incredible support. With rising living costs and energy prices at record highs, more and more people walking through the doors of food banks are telling us they’re skipping meals so they can feed their children. That they are turning off essential appliances so they can afford internet access for their kids to do their homework.

“Food bank staff and volunteers will always do all they can to help people in their communities, they do this every day, but ultimately, no one in the UK should need a food bank – all of us should have enough money for the essentials like food, clothing and heating. The support of Stagecoach will help food banks within our network continue to provide that lifeline of emergency support, while we work together in the long term to ensure everyone can afford the essentials, like food. Thank you so much.”

Roald Dahl’s Marvellous Children’s Charity provide specialist nurses and support for seriously ill children.

Louise Griew, Chief Executive of Roald Dahl’s Marvellous Children’s Charity said: “We are delighted to be supported by Stagecoach. Through our partnership, our charity will be able to establish more Roald Dahl Specialist Nurses in the communities where Stagecoach operates and across the UK. Right now, we are reaching 24,000 children and young people, however we know there are over 100,000 living with a serious illness. Together we can ensure more seriously ill children and families receive the vital support and care they need.”

Happy Days help terminally ill, sick, disabled and abused children and young carers with respite breaks, holidays and day trips.

Ryan Sinclair, CEO, Happy Days Children’s Charity said: “We’re absolutely delighted to partner with Stagecoach, whose support will be helping to improve the lives of amazing children right across the UK living with special education needs and disabilities, and physical, mental and emotional challenges.

“The partnership is not only life changing for us as a charity, but also for the literally thousands of additional children that we’ll now be able to help with special days and activities, giving them a chance to get out, make new friends, develop new skills and build confidence in the face of adversity. What a difference a day makes, and what a difference the support of Stagecoach will make!”

As well as partnering with the four chosen charities, Stagecoach has committed to supporting local charities via its Community Fund. Applications are now open on the Stagecoach website for charities to apply for support either with time, resource, donations or sponsorship from both the central Giving for Good Initative or via their local operating company.

For more information on Stagecoach’s Giving for Good Charity Committee or to find out how you can apply for support, please visit www.stagecoachgroup.com/about/acting-responsibly/community

ENDS