Seventy-one community groups from Oxfordshire have been entered into consideration for next year’s Brand the Bus scheme, which will see one chosen organisation’s branding displayed on an electric double-decker operated by Oxford Bus Company for a full year.
The annual initiative, now in its eighth year, is run jointly by Oxford Bus Company and Thames Travel, with public voting currently taking place.
Luke Marion, managing director of both operators, said nominations from worthy causes across the county had been encouraging.
He noted that the high number of entries and excitement around this year’s programme demonstrated how widely it has reached and the positive impact it can have for local charities. He added that the scheme grows stronger every year and the company takes great pride in its ongoing achievements.
Members of the public have until April 30 to cast their votes, with the ten groups receiving the most support progressing to a final assessment stage.
Marion continued that if someone cares deeply about a particular cause, now is the perfect time to make that preference known and give a local charity the best possible chance of reaching the top ten and the judging stage.
The competition is backed by Get Radio and Oxford City Football Club, with the winning charity set to receive promotional benefits worth £100,000.
The victorious organisation will receive a full vehicle advertising wrap on an electric double-decker bus, along with complimentary advertising space on all buses operated by both Oxford Bus Company and Thames Travel.
The prize package also includes radio airtime on Get Radio, and the recipient will become Oxford City’s official charity partner for the 2026/27 season.
The winning charity will collaborate with Oxford Bus Company on the bus design, with the final artwork expected to be unveiled in autumn.
A runner-up prize of £5,000 will also be awarded, featuring digital advertising displayed on buses.
The 2025 winner was One-Eighty, a charity supporting children’s mental health. Helen & Douglas House, established as the world’s first children’s hospice, took runner-up position in the competition’s inaugural year.
Past winners have included Girlguiding Oxfordshire, Home-Start Oxfordshire, Blue Skye Thinking, Restore, SeeSaw, and Oxford Hospitals Charity.
The judging panel will present accolades to those entries deemed to best meet the competition’s criteria.
Marion noted that voting has now begun, with the public having until the end of April to decide who they think deserves to win.
Full details about the competition and the complete list of nominated organisations are available at oxfordbus.co.uk/brand-the-bus-2026.