OXFORD BUS COMPANY LAUNCHES EYE CATCHING DOUBLE-DECKER FOR CHILDREN’S BRAIN TUMOUR CHARITY

The Oxford Bus Company has launched its latest eye-catching bus backing good local causes, with a double-decker wrapped for Blue Skye Thinking.

It has been transformed into the colours of Blue Skye Thinking, after the good cause won the last ‘Brand the Bus’ competition. The stunning bus which went into service today will be used across various City services in Oxford to help spread the charity’s message.

Oxford Bus Company has previously backed Oxford Pride, Oxfordshire Prostate Cancer Support Group, Girl Guiding Oxfordshire and Home-Start Oxfordshire with new liveries for buses.

Local charity Blue Skye Thinking scooped Oxford Bus Company’s keenly contested Brand the Bus competition to become the latest good cause to win the unique opportunity to have a bus decked out in its own branding.

Blue Skye Thinking supports research into the treatment of childhood brain tumours. Run by volunteers, it strives to give all children diagnosed a better chance of survival and improved quality of life during and post treatment. It was set up by the family of Skye Hall who was diagnosed with a grade 4 medulloblastoma in 2013. Despite surgery and treatment, Skye passed away a year later.

It was selected by a judging panel from a top ten group of good causes which had earned the most public votes from 23 original entries. Blue Skye Thinking worked with Oxford Bus Company to design the bus wrap.

Phil Southall, Oxford Bus Company Managing Director, said: “The bus looks superb and we are proud to have helped another important local charity in our community. I was delighted to meet Skye's parents recently, along with other ambassadors for the charity and understand the difference this bus will make to them.

“The bus will help raise awareness of the charity’s cause and bring a little more colour to the streets of Oxford. The new round of the competition is now live again and I’d encourage local good causes to enter.”

Sally Hall, Director of Blue Skye Thinking, said: “As a small local charity, we cannot thank the Oxford Bus Company enough to have chosen to support us in tackling the number one fatal cancer disease in young people.

“We are so excited to finally share the #BigBlueDreamBus with the community. We are focusing our bus design on never giving up on your dreams and hope people will spot the bus, take a photo and share on social media to generate valuable funds for Blue Skye Thinking. Generous, local businesses will be sponsoring £5 per photo shared, bringing the whole of the Oxfordshire community together for one common goal."

Oxford Bus Company has also awarded the space on a bus rear for branding to second placed Abingdon Riding for the Disabled Association, a charity that enriches the lives of disabled adults and children via horses.