The specially wrapped vehicle was unveiled to staff at Great Western Hospital this week after Brighter Futures was named the operator’s Charity of the Year for 2026 and 2027.
The bus features Brighter Futures branding across the rear and inside the vehicle, with QR codes allowing passengers to make donations while they travel.
Over the next two years, Swindon’s Bus Company staff and customers will support fundraising for Brighter Futures, which helps fund projects, equipment and services at Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust beyond what the NHS can provide.
Colby Cain, Fundraising Manager at Brighter Futures, said: “We’re incredibly grateful to Swindon’s Bus Company for their support and for helping us bring this partnership to life in such a visible and creative way.
“The branded bus is a fantastic opportunity to celebrate the work that Brighter Futures does for our local NHS, whilst also making it simple for people to donate.
“Every donation will help us continue to provide life-changing support to patients, families and staff across the organisation – with the first few pounds going straight into the pot for our latest fundraising appeal focused on supporting the Trust’s chemotherapy service.”
The charity’s chemotherapy appeal will be the first campaign to benefit from the partnership, with donations helping improve care for patients receiving treatment at Great Western Hospital.
Nikki Honer, Head of Marketing at Go South Coast, part of Swindon’s Bus Company, said: “We’re proud to support Brighter Futures as our Charity of the Year.
“By taking their message out on the road every day, we’re helping raise awareness of the fantastic work they do for our local NHS, while giving our customers a simple way to support the charity through the onboard QR codes.
“We’re looking forward to the next 24 months of fundraising and working together to make a real difference for patients, families and staff across Great Western Hospitals.”
The bus is now operating on routes across Swindon, where it is expected to help raise awareness of Brighter Futures, its fundraising campaigns and the work it carries out to support patients, families and NHS staff.
