Worcestershire and Herefordshire

First did something funny for money (and raised £10,000)

Cake sales, raffles, karaoke, bucket collections, casual dress, pyjamas at work, fancy dress and red noses " not your average day at work, but just some of the ways First UK Bus staff did something funny for money on Red Nose Day and helped Comic Relief raise a record-breaking £57 million.

In Leicester, First employees and customers raised more than £350 for Comic Relief when they sold cakes in the bus station. In total though, more than £10,000 was donated to Comic Relief by First. The money will be used to help transform lives in both Africa and the UK.

On the day itself (13 March), 7,000 First bus drivers across the UK showed their support by wearing official red noses that were provided by First UK Bus. In Swansea, bus drivers and customers sang karaoke in the bus station " with people paying to have a go, and onlookers making donations too. In Bristol, bus drivers wore fancy dress to work, whilst back office teams raised funds by holding dress down days and raffles, and in Manchester, staff made themselves feel at home by wearing their pyjamas to work.

Up and down the country, schools also supported First by joining their yellow school bus drivers in wearing red noses.

Steve Zanker, Commercial Director, First Midlands, said: "First has a long-standing tradition of supporting terrific fundraising events like this and Comic Relief allowed us to have a bit of fun while helping raise monies for a very worthwhile cause. It was all about doing something funny for money and our staff across the country certainly lived up to that by coming up with some wonderful ways to make some much-needed cash for Comic Relief.

"Our aim is to transform travel, but what our staff have achieved by doing something funny for money is help transform lives " we are very proud of them.'




NOTES TO EDITORS:

• For more information contact: Karen Baxter, PR Manager (South West & Wales), First Bus, on 0117 373 6470 / 07894 785155 or email: Karen.Baxter@firstgroup.com.
• First Midlands operates a comprehensive network of local bus services in Leicester and Northampton, together with a mix of urban, inter-urban and rural services in its Midlands West area. It also operates public and school contracts on behalf of local authorities and a Yellow School bus contract for Northampton School for Girls. First Midlands operates approx 350 vehicles and employs approx.1000 people. For more information log onto www.FirstGroup.com/ukbus to view the Leicester, Northampton and Midland West websites.
• FirstGroup plc is the worlds leading transport company with revenues of over £5 billion a year. It employs over 135,000 staff throughout the UK and North America and transports more than 2.5 billion passengers a year.
• The Group is Britains largest bus operator running more than one in five of all local bus services. A fleet of nearly 9,000 buses carries 3 million passengers a day in more than 40 major towns and cities

About Comic Relief / Red Nose Day

• Since its launch in 1985, Comic Relief has raised more than £520 million.
• By fundraising / donating to Red Nose Day, youre helping change lives forever. Thats because Comic Relief spends all the money raised to give extremely vulnerable, poor and disadvantaged people in the UK and Africa a helping hand to turn their lives around.
• To make a donation directly to Comic Relief, call 03457 910910 (calls to 0345 numbers cost the same as calls to 01 and 02 prefixed numbers and will be included as part of any inclusive minutes or discount packages)
• Comic Relief is a registered charity, no 326568 (England / Wales), SC039730 (Scotland).