Stagecoach East Midlands have today announced that they have achieved their goal of raising £30k in donations for Macmillan Cancer Support, over three years, to support the charity in providing critical aid for those living with cancer.
The regional bus operator commenced their partnership with Macmillan back in July 2019, raising £2,059 in the first week and £11,688 within just six months. The bus firm’s pledge was part of a three year charity partnership, where they promised to raise £10k a year for the charity.
To mark the partnership, four Stagecoach East Midlands buses, serving the Lincoln, Hull, Mansfield and Grimsby areas, were decorated with Macmillan branding and support messages.
From 2019 to 2022, Stagecoach East Midlands hosted a series of fundraising events to reach their target, starting with a ‘Wear it Green’ week across all of Stagecoach East Midlands depots. This initiative gave staff the opportunity to wear green in support of the charity to help raise awareness. The Mansfield and Lincoln depots also hosted cake sales, to raise funds locally. In Scunthorpe, a ‘Day-off with Pay’ fundraiser also took place, whilst, in Mansfield, Lincoln, Hull and Skegness, passengers were given the opportunity to donate upon boarding a bus.
Other fundraising activities included ‘Power an Hour’ collections, cake sales, sponsored waxing, ‘Brave the Shave’, competitions, sports events, coffee mornings, raffles, tombolas, live music, a ‘Superheroes and Villains’ week, a Euros 2021 ‘Wear Your Shirt to Work’ week, as well as Easter and Christmas competitions and events.
Matt Cranwell, Managing Director for Stagecoach East Midlands, said: “Stagecoach East Midlands are very proud of our partnership with Macmillan, and are delighted to have hit our fundraising target over the last three years.
“This achievement is testament to our fantastic team, who have worked incredibly hard to organise various fundraising activities and events over the years to hit our target, particularly whilst dealing with the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic. These funds will be vital in supporting the charity, who work hard to improve the lives of those battling cancer.
“Thank you to all our staff for their incredible dedication to this cause and to everyone who donated to help us reach our target. It has been fantastic to partner with Macmillan for this brilliant cause and we are proud to have played a part in helping to raise awareness and support.”
Katherine Booth, Relationship Fundraising Manager at Macmillan Cancer Support, said: “We cannot thank Stagecoach East Midlands, and all of their staff, enough for the incredibly hard work they have put into raising funds and awareness for Macmillan Cancer Support.
“Our three-year partnership with Stagecoach East Midlands has been a huge success and an inspiring journey for those in the community who are facing cancer themselves or know someone who is. People living with cancer across the UK need our support now more than ever. Thanks to vital donations, such as those provided by Stagecoach East Midlands fundraising activities, we can provide better cancer support, information, and financial services from the point of diagnosis.
“Thank you to everyone who has made a donation.”
Overall, the most successful fundraising events took place during Christmas 2019, when a total of £4,000 was raised through activities across Gainsborough, Grimsby, Lincoln, Mansfield, Hull, Skegness, Worksop and Scunthorpe depots.
Stagecoach East Midlands held a ‘Last Hurrah’ cake sale and a ‘Power our Final Few Hours’ on Monday 1st August, as their final activities as part of the three year partnership, to encourage last minute donations. The ‘Power an Hour’ activities, which have been taking place since July, have seen Stagecoach East Midlands staff partake in various fundraising activities, to each raise £32, the amount required to fund a Macmillan nursing hour. The ‘Power an Hour’ activity which raised the most funds was a sponsored 7 hour spin session raising £526, and Stagecoach East Midlands has pledged to match the amount raised by staff through this initiative.
To make a donation to Macmillan Cancer Support via the Stagecoach Just Giving page, please visit our JustGiving page
For more information on Macmillan Cancer Support, please visit Macmillan
Find out more about our charity partnership