Festive Bus raises money for Winchester Hospice

Staff at Winchester’s Stagecoach bus depot went all out at Christmas with their Santa bus, raising over £1000 for the Winchester Hospice.

The festive single decker bus received a Christmas makeover and was driven by Santa or the Elf across the network serving destinations across the city to Harestock, Winnall, Springvale, Badger Farm and Stanmore until Christmas Eve and passengers received sweet treats and the opportunity to donate to the hospice.

Photo: Santa Bus Team and Winchester Hospice Staff

Pete Robinson, Operations Manager for Stagecoach buses in Winchester said “Our Santa bus has become a great tradition for the local communities we serve. We are delighted to have chosen Winchester Hospice as the fundraising charity and I’m sure that our customers will be pleased knowing that they have helped raise an amazing £1,048 for a great cause".

Winchester Hospice provide specialist palliative and end of life care to adults with life limiting illness who live in Winchester and the surrounding villages.

Donna Coombs, clinical matron at Winchester Hospice, says: “We want to say a huge thank you to both Stagecoach and our wider community for supporting us over the festive period by helping to raise such an impressive amount on the Santa Bus!

“Our ability to continue providing the services we do to those in and around Winchester relies heavily on the support of our community, so to be chosen as Stagecoach’s charity for this initiative was just brilliant.