Group Partnerships
First's partnership with Save the Children
Despite being one of the richest countries in the world, in the UK there are 3.9 million children living in poverty. Families of four are trying to feed themselves on £20 a week, children are living in damp and overcrowded accommodation, sleeping on concrete floors because their parents can't afford a bed or a carpet. This is unacceptable.
Since 2007, FirstGroup has supported Save the Children in their efforts to confront this appalling situation.
We have donated almost £4 million through fundraising, corporate donations, gifts in kind and media and promotional activities.
Millions of people in the UK have seen the "End Child Poverty" message advertised on First buses operating in Leeds, Glasgow, Plymouth, Manchester, Bristol, Sheffield, Bradford and Norwich.
FirstGroup has also helped Save the Children raise awareness of their "Poverty Kills Childhood" campaign during the 2010 General Election by wrapping buses in the messaging which then went on to tour key constituencies in the lead up to the election. In 2011, First will continue this campaign support by providing on board advertising in thousands of buses to support Save the Children's No Child Born to Die / Every Child Born to Succeed campaign.
We have made a real difference to young people who live in poverty in the UK by funding several Save the Children projects, such as pilots of Save the Children's Families and Schools Together (FAST) in 2010. The education programme FAST is designed for families living in poverty to enable parents to better support their children to build confidence and do well at school. FirstGroup will directly fund another two FAST groups in 2011. Our support of the pilots of FAST also helped Save the Children to develop the programme which will be rolled out to more schools in 2011, benefitting thousands of the UK's most vulnerable children.
In 2009, we supported 'Wee Shots', a film project working with children and young people from deprived areas of Glasgow, Bradford, Oldham and London. The film was used by Save the Children to strengthen support for the 'end child poverty' campaign. It shows the public, media and government the value of listening to the concerns and solutions expressed by children and young people themselves. You can view the national film here.
We have staged ten Mini Monster and four Monster events which have encouraged First employees and local communities to support the partnership raising hundreds of thousands of pounds for Save the Children and other charities.
We have recruited charity champions across our operating companies who act as the focal point for fundraising activity and encourage their fellow colleagues to take part.
FirstGroup's support has increased Save the Children's visibility in Parliament and beyond as a key agency working on child poverty.
Douglas Rouse, Save the Children's Corporate Partnerships Director says "FirstGroup's support of Save the Children since 2007 has been incredible - they have been intrinsic in the development of our UK Programmes through their support of Programme Managers and several education and community projects throughout the country. Added to that, their support of our campaigns with free bus advertising has been key in getting our message out to the public that we must act to end child poverty. Through this partnership we have and will continue to achieve dramatic change for children living in poverty in the UK."