Stagecoach South East celebrates its exceptional employees

On Saturday 17th May, Stagecoach South East held its annual People At The Heart (PATH) awards celebration at Hayne House near Hythe in Kent.

The bus operator launched the PATH Awards in 2020 to recognise and reward the exceptional achievements of its employees. Staff nominate their colleagues each month, with three overall winners announced at a spring awards ceremony.

This year’s gold ‘winner of winners’ was Danny Buga in recognition of his compassion when caring for an elderly man with dementia. Danny realised that something wasn’t right when a man refused to get off his bus seeming lost and confused. After taking the time to talk to the man, Danny discovered that he was originally from London but had found himself stranded in Dover. Danny took the initiative to clean the man up and personally paid for his coach ticket back to London to ensure he made it home safely.

He was also able to contact one of the man’s relatives who revealed that he suffered from dementia and that the family had been searching for him for several days. The family were incredibly grateful for Danny’s support and Danny’s colleagues praised him as a “true gentleman and team player”.

Danny Buga (second from left) is presented with his award by managing director, Joel Mitchell (right) as well as Glenis Martin and David Ellis, the previous year’s 'winners of winners'.

Joel Mitchell, managing director for Stagecoach South East, said "The PATH Awards are all about recognising the everyday heroes within our team who go above and beyond - not just in their roles, but also as human beings. Danny's actions show incredible empathy, quick thinking, and a deep sense of responsibility for others. He, along with the other winners, represent the very best of Stagecoach South East and make us immensely proud. Their stories remind us that there are remarkable people behind the wheel making a real difference in our communities every day."

Two other prizes were awarded at the ceremony to drivers who helped passengers in distress. The silver award was presented to Nicola McCloud who bravely assisted a young family who were being harassed, while the bronze award was presented to Paul Winn and Corinne Palmer for their kindness towards a vulnerable man who had been robbed at a bus stop.

The 2025 gold PATH award winners pictured with Joel Mitchell at the award ceremony