Stagecoach West surprises Gloucester girl on her birthday

A young girl from Gloucester had a huge surprise recently when Stagecoach West stepped in to make her birthday extra special and one to remember.

Lottie, who was born a month premature, suffered a heart attack at four weeks old.  After spending months in ICU at Cardiff and Gloucester hospitals her parents Gary and Nicola were told she wouldn’t be able to walk, talk, run or even laugh.  Despite this prognosis Lottie has continued to surprise doctors and medical professionals ever since, much to the delight of her parents, sister Charlie and bother Finley who work so hard to be there for Lottie.

Lottie has been fascinated with buses her whole life.  When father Gary started working for Stagecoach West in 2019 she was delighted.  Her passion was encouraged with her parents buying her posters and toy buses and even unused bus stop flags.  When they moved to a new house opposite a bus stop Gary’s bus driver colleagues would often wave at Lottie and her siblings which she loved.

With Lottie’s 8th birthday approaching her parents wondered what they could do to make the day extra special so Gary spoke to James Williams, Stagecoach West operations manager at Gloucester and they hatched a plan.  On the morning of Lottie’s birthday Everton Graham, a Stagecoach West bus driver, stopped his bus outside Lottie’s house, picked her and her family up and drove them all to school, on her very own private bus. Lottie was thrilled!

James Williams, Operations Manager, Stagecoach West said:  “Lottie is an incredibly special girl and a very important part of the Stagecoach extended family, so to be able to do this for her on her birthday was a huge honour.  Thanks to Everton and everyone involved who helped make this surprise possible.”