Everyday Heroes
Do you ever wonder about the person in the seat next to you on the bus?
We all have a story, and for some of us, the bus provides the perfect location for a chinwag.
You might know Josie Gibson from her TV appearances, but she recently spent time with us, taking a tour of her local area, reminiscing on how the bus played a role in keeping her connected to her local community. She’s shining a spotlight on the communities we carry and meeting some of the very special people making a difference within their local area.
We’re sharing stories of resilience, dedication and community spirit – values we’re proud to champion. We’re celebrating how buses can bring everyone closer together, connect communities, and are showcasing just a small selection of the everyday heroes doing what they do best.
We’re putting the “us” in bus.
Neil Taylor
Neil is a First Bus worker who set up Hammers for Work and Support – a group of 26,000 members on Facebook which helps people – primarily West Ham fans – find work.
They organise days out for underprivileged families and individuals, and Neil has set up various initiatives such as making and selling advent calendars and selection boxes for charity. They also support domestic violence groups by organising days out for women and children who have been affected.
For more information, please visit Hammers for Work & Support
Charlotte Churchill
Alongside her day job working in child protection, Charlotte set up Operation Community Hamper in Bristol in 2020, a charity dedicated to providing underprivileged families of four with a Christmas hamper and gifts.
In 2024, Charlotte hopes that the charity will deliver 1,000 bespoke hampers to those in need this Christmas.
For more information, please visit Operation Community Hamper
Nick Dalkins
Nick is a First Bus employee who is swimming the English Channel in 2026 with the aim of raising £10,000 for Macmillan Cancer Support, Dementia UK and Weldmar Hospicecare.
In order to fund the swim, First Bus is supporting 61-year-old Nick who is keen to raise as much money as possible to support some amazing charities doing incredible work in his local community.
Harriet Pagan
Harriet is a volunteer for the I Am Reusable food bank in York which collects surplus food from supermarkets and takes them to the foodbank, ensuring they don’t go to waste.
Harriet and I Am Reuseable help more than 120 people every single day and sometimes she will stand outside supermarkets, encouraging passers-by to pick up an extra donation during their shop.
The foodbank is open to anyone who needs it.
For more information, please visit I Am Reusable
Tony Curtain
Tony is a Sheffield resident and local celebrity who has been collecting money for the Royal British Legion for over 20 years. His motivation to support the charity stemmed from seeing wounded soldiers return from war during World War Two.
When collecting money, he refuses to take a seat and will stand all day, ensuring he’s doing the absolute most to ensure they receive donations from local residents.
For more information, please visit Royal British Legion
Brian Bongani Tshuma
Brian is a First Bus driver from Glasgow. Arriving as a refugee in 2001 from Zimbabwe, Brian set up and runs a refugee football team called Fusion which gives players aged 16-50 the chance to get out on the pitch and meet fellow refugees, forming a tight-knit community in the process.
Fusion also assists asylum seekers with college applications amongst other things, and Brian himself works as an interpreter in six languages, supporting a number of refugees in the local community.