When we saw an opportunity to repaint one of our buses, we couldn’t resist to make a splash of colour on the roads of South Hampshire – all in the name of charity, or more particularly CLIC Sargent, the national charity that supports children and their families with Cancer.

The distinctive bus was designed and liveried free of charge to the charity, with the exterior featuring a photo of 4 year old Bramble. He was born with a liver disease, and has since had a transplant, 5 months of chemotherapy treatment at the end of 2006 and has now thankfully been in remission for nearly fifteen months. He has just been taken off all immune suppression as his liver function is stable but Bramble does face a lifetime of blood tests to make sure he is not rejecting his liver. Bramble’s story is just one in which CLIC Sargent staff have played an important role in supporting the family both in hospital and at home.

Terry Osborn, Regional Fundraising Manager (South), and Ann Cooper, Community Fundraising Manager, from CLIC Sargent, who watched with our Operations Manager Alex Hornby as the bus started its promotional role on the network, believes that the on road promotion will greatly benefit the charity.

“Locally CLIC Sargent supports the regional oncology centre at Southampton General Hospital by the provision of funding for 5 nursing, social and development work staff,” said Terry. “We also provide families with a home from home, CLIC Haven where they can stay, free of charge, in order to be close to their loved one at their time of greatest need and we can further support families through the provision of grants and holiday/respite care.”

Over the last 5 years Oncology in Southampton has been significantly expanded through a £30m capital investment by the NHS and a further £60m capital expansion will be completed by 2013 including, for the first time, dedicated facilities for young adults.

“CLIC Sargent will, thanks to the support of very many people, organisations and businesses such as Bluestar, be responding to this expansion and will increase it’s vital support for families throughout our region,” said Terry Osborn. “Alex and his team at Bluestar are making a significant contribution to our efforts by raising the profile of CLIC Sargent and we look forward to our relationship developing over the coming months.”

The interior of the single deck bus has been similarly decorated too, containing details of CLIC Sargent’s important support that is offered to young people and their families, as well as information on how the public can support the charity.