The UK’s leading transport operator, FirstGroup, today revealed that it has donated £10,000 this Christmas to its national charity partner, Macmillan Cancer Support.
Rather than sending traditional Christmas cards this year, First has posted a Christmas message on its website, including a reference to Macmillan. As a token of the savings made, First has donated an extra £10k to its charity partner.
Macmillan became First’s charity partner in 2012 after staff voted overwhelmingly to help the Macmillan team to reach even more people affected by cancer.
“Staff at our bus and rail companies up and down the country have got right behind the partnership,” said Katie Smart, FirstGroup’s CSR and Community Manager. “More than 45 coffee mornings took place across First this year, others have raised money by taking on marathons, 10ks and cycle challenges - we’ve even had three colleagues bathe in baths of baked beans. Combined with our corporate and in kind donations, Macmillan has benefited from more than £530k worth of funding in the first 18 months of our partnership.”
Sally Hill, Partnership Manager at Macmillan said: “The FirstGroup partnership with Macmillan continues to go from strength to strength. We are so grateful for the enthusiastic support of all staff who have taken part in fundraising events and for the generous donations FirstGroup has made.
“More than one in three of us will get cancer. For most of us it will be the toughest fight we ever face. Now, more than ever, we need corporate partners like First, and its employees, to join our team and get involved. You can make a huge difference so no one has to face cancer alone. With your support no one will.”