Reading Buses bade farewell to their 2025 Charity of the Year, Berkshire Youth, but left them with a huge cheque!
At an event at their Great Knollys Street depot, Reading Buses announced their final fundraising total in front of the charity – a colossal £16,000 – the second-highest amount they have ever raised.
Using the backdrop of the Berkshire Youth branded bus, a novelty cheque was revealed to show the total.
The company have undertaken many events and activities during 2025 to raise funds for the charity.
The fundraising started and ended the same way – with a raffle at the start of the year during the company’s Night with the Stars and then one at the end during Christmas.
The Open Day in June was once again the highlight of the year with a record-breaking £12,898 raised in one fell swoop.
In August, the Academy training team walked the length of the aqua 28 route between Reading and Henley raising over £1000.
October saw the company wear Blue for Berkshire Youth, with people donating to wear their bluest clothes. The theme of dressing up also saw some fundraising fun in December as Reading Buses undertook their now annual ‘Festive Fortnight’ with employees making donations to wear Christmas jumpers, festive hats and other Christmas accessories as well as Santa driving a bus.
Said Robert Williams, Reading Buses Chief Executive Officer; “It has been an amazing partnership with Berkshire Youth this year. Apart from the money raised, we have learned about their fantastic work and were delighted to help celebrate their achievements at their 85th anniversary awards evening.”
“It’s not just about the money raised though as the branded bus, on-board bus screens and online activity has helped to raise the profile of both the charity and us throughout the region.”
He continued; “Working with the charity has certainly made us reflect more about our younger customers and how we can help keep them connected. We wish them all the best for the future.
Said Sarah Emery, Chief Executive Officer of Berkshire Youth; “We are incredibly grateful to everyone at Reading Buses for choosing Berkshire Youth as their Charity of the Year and for the outstanding £16,000 they have raised. This partnership has been about so much more than fundraising. Their creativity, enthusiasm and commitment have helped shine a spotlight on the importance of youth work across Berkshire and the positive impact it has on young people’s lives. We cannot thank Reading Buses and their staff enough for their generosity and continued support.”
