Catch the bus to Light the South!

Bluestar helps shine a light across Southampton with sponsorship of spectacular art event 

We have signed up to support Light the South - an event taking place in Southampton and Cowes from July to September. 

The spectacular free art trail features 40 lighthouses, each standing 8ft tall, crafted by a selection of top local and renowned artists to form unique masterpieces. In addition to the main trail, there are 40 smaller sculptures called Little Lights, designed by local schools and community groups, creating a family-friendly trail of discovery and adventure for both visitors and residents to explore and enjoy.

Light the South runs from Friday 12 July to Sunday 1 September, and ends with a grand farewell finale where all the Lighthouse sculptures will be brought together under one roof at the Southampton International Boat Show to be auctioned, raising money for Southampton Hospitals Charity to support Southampton Children’s Hospital.

“We are delighted to be sponsoring one of the 40 colourful lighthouses, which are on display here in Southampton,” said Bluestar general manager, Richard Tyldsley. 

“These magnificent sculptures are set to create a wonderful, free, and family-friendly walking trail through some of our most well-loved and historic parks, landmarks and streets. 

“As an established part of the local community, providing bus services across the city, it feels right to support this initiative - especially since this is all in aid of a cause close to our hearts. 

“This is also about encouraging local residents to re-discover the city they love. Light the South is also expected to give the local business community a boost - attracting a throng of visitors. We can’t wait for people to discover our very own specially-designed lighthouse - and we wish the organisers all the very best with this this excellent fundraising initiative.”

In addition to our lighthouse sponsorship, we have covered one of our buses with colourful ‘Light the South’ branding and information, in a bid to help raise awareness of the event. Keep an eye out for it out on the road!

Ellis Banfield, Southampton Hospitals Charity chief executive, said: “We're grateful to Bluestar for their support for Light the South. Their involvement reflects the critical role transportation plays in connecting communities and supporting vital causes, and we are excited to have them on board.”

Click here to find out more about the event...

We'd like to encourage as many people as we can to travel sustainably to visit the trail this summer and ideally, single fares are still capped at just £2. Hop off any of our buses that serve the city centre to join in with the trail!

Download our app to plan your journey, buy tickets and track our buses in live times.