A fully accessible Santa's Grotto bus and surprising a local primary school with Santa - Only some of the many ways Stagecoach teams are spreading Christmas cheer across the UK
- Stagecoach teams across the UK are fundraising for charities and hosting local festive events
- Social media campaign WINter giveaway will see lucky follower win a years free travel
- South East team help Eastbourne primary school meet Santa after Christmas plans cancelled at short notice
- Stagecoach East Midlands raise over £800 to support charity partner Mission Christmas
- Free and fully accessible Santa's Grotto bus to the RVI hospital facilitated by Stagecoach North East and The Chronicle Sunshine Fund
As the UK's largest bus and coach operator, Stagecoach teams across the UK have spread Christmas cheer in their local communities on the lead up to Christmas Day. From dressing up as festive favourites, Santa buses touring across the country, and even supporting Reindeer Parades; Stagecoach colleagues have brought the spirit of Christmas to its customers and local communities.
Santa has been busier than ever this festive season, with Stagecoach Grotto buses journeying across the country to bring festive cheer to little visitors. Our teams in Manchester, South, North Scotland, East Midlands, South East, Yorkshire, and West Scotland all took to their local networks dressed as familiar festive favourites while fundraising for local charities.
For the fifth year in a row, The Chronicle Sunshine Fund teamed up with Stagecoach North East's team to bring their free and fully accessible Santa's Grotto bus to the RVI hospital. The Sunshine Fund Santa Grotto Bus provides a grotto experience for children living with disabilities, learning difficulties, life-limiting conditions or terminal diagnosis.
Stagecoach East Midlands team aided gift collection for children living in poverty through their partnership with Lincs FM, supporting Mission Christmas with a ‘Fill the Bus’ tour. The team toured for three days across the county to collect donations and raised over £800 which has been used to buy more gifts for the appeal.
Further south, Stagecoach South East team took their Eastbourne Santa bus to a local primary school after learning that their Christmas plans had been cancelled at short notice. This act of kindness comes after the Eastbourne team also fundraised on the Santa bus for St Wilfred's Hospice and raised over £1000.
Those attending the West Scotland Grotto bus had the opportunity to donate to the 'Night Before Christmas' campaign. Combining these donations with those raised during their Christmas Jumper day, the team were able to gift 'Red Bags of Joy' to people in need.
The team also sponsored the Glasgow Times ‘Bank on Us’ charity appeal which supports people in and around Glasgow with food bank and toy donations. They donated hundreds of selection boxes, collecting the bags and delivering them to local primary schools with Santa’s Grotto Bus.
Stagecoach teams also helped bring the festive spirit by sponsoring Christmas trees for the community. Stagecoach West Scotland sponsored both the Reindeer Parade and the local Christmas tree in Inverness, while our South East team donated trees to Hastings council and five East Kent hospitals; William Harvey, Kent and Canterbury Hospital, QEQM Margate, Buckland, and Royal Victoria.
Visitors to Exeter city centre began their Christmas countdown with a family fun afternoon featuring the Big Noise Choir and Radio Exe. Hosted at Exeter Bus station by our South West team, the event included donations to Exeter Toy Bank.
And in South Wales, their annual Christmas Raffle raised a fantastic £524 alongside over £200 from their Christmas Jumper fundraising, with all money going to Ty Hafan Childrens’ Hospice.
Back in Scotland, the East Scotland team have been hosting a 12 Days of Christmas event, featuring information about local events from throughout the year that Stagecoach have proudly supported. Based on these fun-filled updates, the team ran a prize draw with questions based on the 12 Days of Christmas updates for a lucky winner to get their hands on a £500 Love2shop voucher.
On Stagecoach's social media channels, followers have been in with the chance of winning vouchers during its WINter giveaway. With each week featuring a different theme, from Christmas jumpers to festive pets, the giveaway will culminate on Friday 22nd with a lucky follower starting 2024 with a year of free travel.
Claire Miles, Stagecoach Chief Executive Officer, said: "There’s so much to celebrate amongst the Stagecoach teams this holiday season. With services connecting more than 100 major towns and cities across the UK, these festive fundraising efforts and events demonstrate just how important the local communities are to Stagecoach and our people. We look forward to a bright year in 2024 where we will continue to proudly support our customers and local communities.