Charitable Giving
Our charitable giving is mostly made up of donations to our UK and North America partners and funds raised by our employees.
£239,220 was donated to a variety of charitable causes by our employees through payroll giving and fundraising events.
1,627 hours were donated to community projects or charity events by our employees.
Save the Children
In the UK we are proud to support the work of Save the Children. Since 2007 we have donated £4m in cash and kind, supporting the charity's work to end child poverty in the UK. This exceeds our original target of £2m and we continue to support the charity in 2011.
In 2010 we supported two pilots of Save the Children's UK early intervention project, Families and Schools Together (FAST). This UN-endorsed education programme brings together parents, children and the school to learn how to support children at home and in their education, helping to build their confidence and get a good start at school.
'Save the Children believes that no child should be born without a chance. Our incredible partnership with FirstGroup has enabled us to transform the lives of children living in poverty in the UK today.'
Justin Forsyth, Chief Executive, Save the Children UK
We have also supported Save the Children's emergency appeals after the devastating natural disasters in Haiti and Pakistan. Our financial donations helped the charity respond quickly by administering aid to children and families in the affected areas.
Our support in 2011 will focus on the 'No child born without a chance' campaign which is based on the belief that every child should get the chance to fulfil their potential, wherever they're born and whatever their circumstances. Every First bus in the UK will feature this campaign throughout 2011.
Children's Miracle Network
Through our continued support of Children's Miracle Network in North America, millions of children can benefit from state-of-the-art care. Children's Miracle Network is dedicated to saving and improving the lives of children by raising essential funds for children's hospitals. Donations to Children's Miracle Network create miracles by funding medical care, research and education that saves and improves the lives of 17 million children each year. In fact, Children's Miracle Network hospitals serve more children than any other children's charity.
Money raised by First employees helps Children's Miracle Network to provide 170 hospitals with the finest medical care, life-saving research and preventative education to help millions of children to overcome diseases and injuries of every kind.
FirstGroup America has held numerous fundraising and awareness-raising events for Children's Miracle Network, including their successful Survivor Bus campaign where participants lived on a school bus for an entire weekend in order to raise awareness. This year's event raised more than $30,000.
Charity and Sponsorship Committees
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 charitable contributions are managed through our Charity and Sponsorship Committees both in the UK and North America.
$195,324 donated to Children's Miracle Network during 2010/11.
£71,000 donated to local charities and community groups in the UK in 2010/11.
Our North American Committee raises and distributes funds for the Children's Miracle Network.
National Runaway Switchboard
Greyhound continues to support the National Runaway Switchboard (NRS), focusing on Home Free, a programme that gives runaway youths a free ticket home on a Greyhound bus. NRS reported a 5.7% increase in Home Free uptake with a total of 410 Home Free tickets.
Greyhound's relationship with Home Free began in 1974 as a partnership between Greyhound and the International Association of Chiefs of Police. Today, Greyhound partners with the National Runaway Switchboard, which administers the programme. More than 13,000 runaway youths have been reunited with their families since the inception of Home Free.
Inspiring young people
Through our long-term partnership with Outward Bound, young people in the UK have the opportunity to develop independence, confidence and life skills which will help keep them off the streets. Outward Bound aims to inspire young people to achieve their potential through outdoor experiences, helping them to overcome their fears and raising their self-esteem. First's funding has enabled just over 1,000 young people between the ages of 11-18 to take part in an Outward Bound experience.