Oxford Bus Company supporting Race Across Oxfordshire

The donation will support the charity Homeless Oxfordshire’s inaugural Race Across Oxfordshire fundraiser, helping teams move between checkpoints during the challenge.

Inspired by the BBC’s Race Across the World, the event will see 20 two-person teams travel across Oxfordshire using public transport, with limited money and minimal phone access, as they complete tasks along the way.

Tim Wraith, partnerships fundraising manager at Homeless Oxfordshire, said: “We’re really excited for our first-ever Race Across Oxfordshire, which will test resilience and teamwork while raising vital funds.

“We’ve received fantastic support locally and we’re incredibly grateful for the very generous donation made by Oxford Bus Company.

“The bus tickets will enable a smoother running to the day.

“We are keen to make this our flagship event, so any way that can help it be a huge success has been warmly welcomed.

“While raising money is always important, this event will also allow us to raise the profile of the charity.”

The £600 GoAnywhere ticket donation will allow all 40 participants free travel on the Oxford Bus Company, Thames Travel, Carousel Buses, and Pulhams networks on Monday, May 11, when the challenge takes place.

Teams will race between secret checkpoints across Oxfordshire, completing tasks that test their patience, resilience, and problem-solving skills.

The event will begin and end at the Voco Oxford Spires Hotel on Abingdon Road.

Each team has paid a £200 entry fee and pledged to raise at least £1,000.

The overall fundraising target is £30,000.

Luke Marion, managing director of Oxford Bus Company, said: “When we were approached by Homeless Oxfordshire to contribute to this event, we didn’t hesitate to show our support.

“We have deep roots in the Oxfordshire community and are proud to help various initiatives where we can.

“This is an important cause and we’re fortunate to have such a dedicated local charity committed to helping people experiencing homelessness.

“We’d like to wish the teams taking part in Race Across Oxfordshire the very best of luck on the day.”

Homeless Oxfordshire is the county’s largest not-for-profit provider of supported accommodation for people experiencing homelessness.

The charity is a specialist in supporting those whose complex needs are often the result of lifelong challenges such as poverty, childhood trauma, substance and alcohol use, institutional care, and deep social exclusion.

Each night, the charity accommodates 170 people across the county who are experiencing homelessness.