Oxford Hospitals Charity wins Brand the Bus competition

The pink double-decker bus was launched after Oxford Hospitals Charity won Oxford Bus Company's Brand the Bus! 2024 competition.

A ribbon-cutting ceremony with members of the charity, hospital and Oxford Bus Company teams took place outside the John Radcliffe Hospital on Wednesday, August 14.

The bus is now in service on routes across the city, as part of Oxford Bus Company’s new electric fleet.

The Oxford Hospitals Charity bus (Image: Oxford Medical Illustration)

The charity won the competition following a public vote, securing a £40,000 package that includes branding on a vehicle and a year's advertising with Greatest Hits Radio.

Oxford Hospitals Charity funds specialist medical equipment and research and enhances facilities at sites including Oxford Children’s Hospital, John Radcliffe, Churchill, Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre and Horton General.

Sarah Vaccari, head of communications at Oxford Hospitals Charity, said: "We were absolutely thrilled to win the amazing Brand the Bus competition earlier this year - it is an incredible prize for a local charity like ours.

"We've loved working with the team at Oxford Bus Company to bring the new design to life, focussing on celebrating the staff who are the heart of our hospitals.

"It's been amazing to see their faces today as the new bus was unveiled for the first time.

The Oxford Hospitals Charity bus (Image: Oxford Medical Illustration)

"We really hope our bright pink bus can't be missed as it drives around Oxfordshire, so it will introduce many more local people to our charity, helping us to continue to make a real difference in the hospitals that look after us all."

Luke Marion, Oxford Bus Company managing director, added: "It's fantastic to see our first charity branded electric bus go into service, backing an excellent local good cause.

"We're proud to support Oxford Hospitals Charity as part of our community values and look forward to the bus helping raise awareness of all the great work they do."

More than 11,000 people voted online in the competition, breaking the previous record.

The overall winners were selected from the top 10 good causes by a judging panel, with Be Free Young Carers and Style Acre coming second and third.

Harwell based Be Free Young Carers provide emotional support, recreational and social activities to children with caring responsibilities across Oxfordshire and will receive a new ‘mega rear’ advertisement on the back of a bus.

Style Acre provides supported living, work and skills programmes to people with learning disabilities and autism, with community centres in Didcot, Wallingford and Banbury.

It will receive £1,000 worth of digital on-board advertising to help raise awareness of its activities.