Oxford Bus Company has announced SeeSaw as the winner of the eagerly contested Brand the Bus! 2022/23 competition.
The Oxford-based charity provides grief support for children, young people and their families in Oxfordshire.
It will have an Oxford Bus Company double-decker bus branded with its messaging and receive £20,000 worth of radio advertising with JACKfm.
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It was selected by a judging panel from a top ten group of good causes which had earned the most public votes from 79 original entries.
Oxford City Angels and Sobell House were runners-up and will receive on-bus digital advertising support worth £2,000 each.
Oxford City Angels is a voluntary run female-focused support team for women at night in the city. Sobell House Hospice specialises in palliative care to those facing life threatening illness, death and bereavement in Oxfordshire.
The winners were decided by a judging panel, which included Laura Price, CEO of Oxfordshire Community and Voluntary Action and Grant Hayward of OSEP, an organisation which supports enterprising charities, social enterprises and purposeful businesses. The winner was revealed live on JACKfm by presenter Iain Lee.
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Luke Marion, Oxford Bus Company Managing Director, said: "Congratulations to SeeSaw, the runners-up and everyone who entered. We made it easier for good causes to enter this time and the response was phenomenal.
"It was a tough process to select the final three from so many good causes. SeeSaw is a cause that richly deserves help in raising awareness of its services so more people in our community in need of support are aware of it and can access it.
"We also decided to provide marketing support to Oxford City Angels and Sobell House in recognition of the great work both organisations do to help so many. Overall, we’re proud that despite a tough period for bus operators we have not only maintained the Brand the Bus competition, but made it even better thanks to our partnership with JACKfm in support of good causes in our community."
Steve Simms, JACKfm Programme Controller, said: "There was a very high standard of entries, so it was a tough decision for all the judges. It was obvious to us all that SeeSaw will seriously benefit from the bus branding and we’re delighted to raise their awareness even more with a year’s worth of free radio advertising."
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SeeSaw’s director Judith Mulligan said: "It was a total surprise to hear that SeeSaw had been chosen as the winner of Brand the Bus, as we were up against many worthy local charities. This will really help build awareness of our services and we can’t wait to see the SeeSaw bus on the streets of Oxford."
More than 11,000 votes were cast online for the entries made by charities and good causes.
Mental health charity Restore won last year.
The finalists were: Women Life Freedom, Oxford City Angels, SpecialEffect, Sobell House Hospice, Ronald McDonald House Charities UK, Style Acre, At The Bus, SeeSaw, Downs Syndrome Oxford and Raising Awareness of Developmental Language Disorder.
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This story was written by Andy Ffrench, he joined the team more than 20 years ago and now covers community news across Oxfordshire.
Get in touch with him by emailing: Andy.ffrench@newsquest.co.uk
Follow him on Twitter @OxMailAndyF
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