Operators around the UK have been getting in the festive mood, assisting fund-raising projects and providing free trips in the holiday period build-up.
Xplore Dundee came to the rescue of a local community youth group with free travel when they had no available funding for transport to attend a pantomime.
The community learning and development (CLD) team in Dundee had 49 tickets for staff and young people for Sleeping Beauty at the Whitehall Theatre last week but no transport.
When Xplore Dundee were approached, they responded by offering free travel and even provided a goodie bag full of sweets to enjoy during the show.
Stephen Riggans, General Manager at Xplore Dundee, says: “We were proud to be able to help out the CLD youth team, who do an excellent job supporting children in Dundee.
“We didn’t want the group to miss the pantomime so with it being the season of giving, Xplore Dundee provided free transport from the Finmill Centre to the Whitehall Theatre, and the panto was back on!”
Stagecoach teams across the country have been fund-raising and hosting local festive events.
Teams in Manchester, South, North Scotland, East Midlands, South East, Yorkshire, and West Scotland dressed in traditional Christmas gear on “grotto” buses while raising money for charities.
For the fifth year in a row, The Chronicle Sunshine Fund teamed up with Stagecoach North East to take the grotto bus to the Royal Victoria Infirmary.
Stagecoach East Midlands aided gift collection for children living in poverty through its partnership with Lincs FM. It raised more than £800 for Mission Christmas.
Stagecoach South East took its Eastbourne Santa bus to a local primary school after learning its Christmas plans were cancelled at the last minute and helped raise more than £1000 for St Wilfred’s Hospice.
Translink in Northern Ireland is again running its Stuff a Bus campaign, supporting the Homeless Connect charity by accepting food donations.
FlixBus reports it shared gifts with drivers this week, included branded goodies, chocolates, Christmas crackers and Christmas cards filled with passenger comments.
First Solent teamed up with Portsmouth’s Kings Theatre to offer a “5 for £5” bus ticket for people heading to Hook: The Further Adventures of Peter Pan.
Liberty Bus in Jersey will make all bus journeys on Christmas Eve free of charge.
In addition, several operators and local authorities such as Reading Buses and Rutland County Council have been offering free travel to help shoppers on selected days of the week in the build-up to Christmas.
