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FirstGroup’s Reward & Pensions Director, John Chilman, explains: "When staff buy shares in our SAYE scheme there is normally a small amount of money left over. This is less than the cost of buying one share and is typically quite a small amount.. Employees are given the option of having this money returned or passed to First’s national charity partner, Save the Children.

"The SAYE charity option is a terrific, innovative example of how collectively the small change from First employees can make a big difference to children in the UK that need it most."

He added: "Our SAYE share scheme offers colleagues a great way to buy shares and share in our success. We are delighted that so many employees have generously donated this money to such a deserving cause."

John Chilman presented a cheque worth £4,765.96 to the local Save the Children shop on Union Street, Aberdeen today. Charlotte Di Corpo, Save the Children’s Funding Manager for Scotland said: "To have a partner of the stature of FirstGroup, the UK’s largest transport operator, is of tremendous value to Save the Children. Since the partnership began in 2007, we have been struck at the enthusiasm and innovation of employees and senior management to help Save the Children. The SAYE initiative is another fantastic example of how First has gone that extra mile to help support us."

First’s Save As You Earn (SAYE) share save scheme has been available to all UK employees since 2002. It provides staff with a risk-free way to save to buy discounted shares in First. Members of the scheme save for a fixed three-year term and receive a tax-free bonus. At the end of that period members are offered the opportunity to buy shares in FirstGroup at the market price at the beginning of the savings period. In addition those shares are discounted by 20%, the maximum allowed by the taxman. Members also have the option after the three-year period to collect their savings and the tax-free bonus in cash instead of purchasing shares.