Stagecoach supports homeless charities in Wales

Stagecoach in South Wales supports Welsh homeless charities

As part of the national Christmas Jumper Day on 13^th December 2019, Stagecoach in South Wales allowed all their staff to wear Christmas jumpers and Santa/festive suits with all proceeds being donated to ‘The Wallich’ homeless charity in Wales.

All 5 depots and 3 outstations were in the festive mood and displayed their outfits to customers and staff. Stagecoach has also announced that staff can wear their jumpers and outfits again on 23^rd December and Christmas Eve, to collect even more money for the charity. The total amount raised will be match funded by Stagecoach.

‘The Wallich’ homeless charity operates under three core objectives: getting people off the streets; keeping people off the streets; and creating opportunities for people. Their rough sleepers intervention teams help the most vulnerable and chaotic homeless people on the streets by providing outreach in the form of hot food, advice, referrals and pathways out of homelessness. They offer accommodation such as direct access hostels, emergency night shelters and accommodation for people with specific issues such as substance misuse or mental health issues.

Staff at Stagecoach Merthyr Depot had also been collecting food for ‘The Trussel Trust Food Bank’ in the Gurnos Christian Centre. Driver Nathan Davies asked staff to generously donate non-perishable foods including, tins, soup, biscuits and pasta and a selection of drinks including quash, tea and coffee. Nathan and a few colleagues dressed in their festive jumpers and delivered over 86KG of food and drink on Friday 13^th December, the food bank were delighted by their generosity. Nathan said: “I thought it would be a great gesture to donate food to the local food bank, especially at this time of the year. With food banks significantly increasing over the last few years, I’d hate to think people went without food over the festive period. Obviously I didn’t imagine we’d get as many donations as we did so I want to say a huge thanks to the Stagecoach drivers, supervisors and engineering staff for their kind donations.”

The Trussel Trust support a nationwide network of food banks and provide emergency food and support to people locked in poverty, and campaign for change to end the need for food banks in the UK. In the UK, more than 14 million people are living in poverty – including 4.5 million children. The trust support more than 1,200 food bank centres in the UK to provide a minimum of three days’ nutritionally-balanced emergency food to people who have been referred in crisis, as well as support to help people resolve the crises they face.

ENDS