Carousel Buses has unveiled its first charity branded vehicle after Thames Valley Air Ambulance was named the inaugural winner of the operator’s Brand the Bus competition, securing a prize package valued at £60,000.
The Oxfordshire-based bus operator has transformed one of its vehicles into a fully branded CPR awareness bus for the air ambulance charity. The bus will operate across the region over the next year carrying a defibrillator on board.
In addition to the branded vehicle, the prize package includes radio promotion and an advertising campaign delivered in partnership with Wycombe Sound and Wycombe Wanderers.
The campaign is designed to raise awareness of CPR and defibrillation. Last year, Thames Valley Air Ambulance attended 1,230 cardiac arrest call-outs.
Says Amanda McLean, Chief Executive of Thames Valley Air Ambulance: “Cardiac arrests are the most frequent type of call-out for our crews. If a bystander has already begun CPR by the time we arrive, it gives us the greatest possible chance of saving that patient. Yet sadly, almost a third of people in Buckinghamshire would not feel confident giving CPR if they saw someone in cardiac arrest.
“This Carousel Buses competition has given us the amazing opportunity to create a CPR bus, which will raise awareness of the importance of early CPR and defibrillation, turning every journey into one that has the potential to save a life. We’re delighted to see the CPR bus become a reality and we can’t wait to see it on the streets of our community.”
Adds Luke Marion, Managing Director at Carousel Buses: “This is an exciting charity partnership and we’re proud to be carrying a defibrillator on board in addition to launching the branding and associated advertising. Brand the Bus provides a highly valuable way for charities to raise awareness, and we’re pleased to be supporting such a vital good cause for Carousel’s inaugural competition winner.”
Based in Stokenchurch, Thames Valley Air Ambulance operates across Buckinghamshire, Berkshire and Oxfordshire. The charity relies entirely on donations as it receives no government or NHS funding.
