Charity and Sponsorship Committee

We are committed to making a real difference to the communities in which we operate by supporting a wide range of charitable causes and community organisations.

Our Charity and Sponsorship Committee comprises staff who are geographically spread across the UK to encompass all of our bus and rail operating areas. The committee creates an effective, transparent process within First at a Group level by considering and deciding upon requests for funding and gifts in kind based on our charitable criteria.

Our charitable criteria include:

  • Young People
  • Health
  • The Environment

Applications which fall outside of these charitable criteria will not be considered for funding. Unfortunately, we are unable to support all causes. Any decision made by First with regard to requests of funding and gifts in kind is final. First will not, under any circumstances, enter into any discussion with an applicant regarding any such decision. Please note that the Committee will not accept requests for funding over £3000.

External applications must be supported in the form of a letter from a FirstGroup employee.

This applies to external individuals, charities and community organisations. External applications which fail to provide a supporting letter will not be considered for funding. Please also note the supporting letter is to be submitted at the same time as the application and must include the First Employee's company name, job title and contact details, including telephone number.

Community Investment Exclusion Policy

We also have a Community Investment Exclusion Policy, which identifies types of initiatives and causes that we do not fund. These include:

  • Political parties or bodies
  • Promotion of religious beliefs
  • Third-party giving organisations
  • Projects funded from local or central government
  • The Arts (unless the donation provides direct support to one of our criteria)
  • Animal Welfare
  • Research projects that are not directly associated with the needs of the business

Please return your completed form by e-mail to cscapplications@firstgroup.com

Please note applications can take between 6 and 10 weeks to process, therefore please ensure your application is submitted well in advance of your required financial commitment or activity date.

If you wish to submit your application by post, please send to:

The Charity and Sponsorship Committee
FirstGroup plc
395 King Street
Aberdeen
AB24 5RP

Charity and Sponsorship Quarterly Newsletter

Further information on successful applications can be found in the Charity and Sponsorship Newsletter:

Frequently asked questions

The following document contains answers to frequently asked questions regarding First's Charity and Sponsorship committee:

 

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