BUS DRIVERS SWAP FOUR WHEELS FOR TWO IN TOUR DE BLACKPOOL CHARITY RIDE

14 Jul 2023

Bus drivers from depots across Manchester have swapped four wheels for two and completed a charity cycle for a local cause.

Twelve riders from Stagecoach Manchester, including managing director Lee Wasnidge, completed a Tour de France style 54-mile ride that’s raised £1,077.41 for Forever Manchester.

The grueling route saw the team set off from the heart of Manchester and finish at Blackpool Tower.

Lee Wasnidge, Managing Director of Stagecoach Manchester, said: “I’m so proud of the team for completing the ride and delighted to have raised so much money for an incredible cause that is close to our hearts.

“Finishing up at Blackpool Tower wasn’t quite the same as finishing at the Champs-Élysées but it certainly felt like the end of a stage on the Tour de France.”

Jean Mills, Director of Philanthropy at Forever Manchester, said: “Big thanks to the team at Stagecoach for their fantastic effort in the Manchester to Blackpool Bike Ride. A wonderful amount has been raised that will go directly towards supporting grassroot, volunteer-led community projects across Greater Manchester; funding projects close to Stagecoach bus routes across the region.”

Forever Manchester is the only charity that raises money to fund and support community activity across Greater Manchester.

Since Forever Manchester was established in 1989 it has delivered more than £59 million into local communities. All of the money raised for Forever Manchester is used to fund and support over 1,300 community projects each year.