Stagecoach South helps young people explore Portsmouth with 50 free bus tickets
Stagecoach South has provided 50 free DayRider tickets to Portsmouth in the Community, helping 50 young people explore their city as part of a team-building challenge.
The Race Against Portsmouth saw new Year 1 students, aged 16, take on a city-wide challenge, navigating between Portsmouth landmarks and completing a series of physical and mental challenges within just a few hours.
The students are part of Portsmouth in the Community’s Post-16 Football and Education Programme, which combines education and football development to help young people build the foundations for future sporting careers and life beyond the pitch.
Stagecoach’s 50 free DayRider tickets enabled the students to travel around the city as they tackled the challenge, helping them develop independence, communication, teamwork and problem-solving skills along the way.
Ashton, a student on the programme, said: “It was all very exciting, going around Portsmouth and visiting specific places that I hadn’t really explored before. I really enjoyed the teamwork aspect, and it helped strengthen the bonds I already had with people while also making a few new friends.”
Petal, who was part of the winning team, said: “It was really good for team building. We got the chance to work with our new classmates and develop those bonds for the year. It was such a good experience, and I’m really proud of how well we worked together as a team to win the race.”
The initiative comes during Catch the Bus Month, which this year focuses on myth busting, challenging perceptions around bus travel and highlighting the role buses play in connecting people with their communities.
And there’s never been a better time to explore Portsmouth by bus. Bus travel in Portsmouth is free for everyone every weekend throughout September, as part of Portsmouth City Council’s Bus Service Improvement Plan.
Teacher Alex Burt said: “The aim was to get our new students to explore our city in a fun and engaging way, with the support of the Stagecoach buses. They had to complete a variety of challenges across important landmarks in the city within just a few hours, so they were really stretched mentally and physically. But, in credit to all the new students, they rose to the challenge brilliantly.
“The experience will have been an important step in developing their independence, communication, teamwork and problem-solving skills, so that they can thrive both on and off the pitch.”
Marc Reddy, Director at Stagecoach South, said: “We’re delighted to support Portsmouth in the Community with 50 free DayRider tickets for this fantastic challenge. Race Against Portsmouth is a great example of how buses are about much more than simply getting from A to B – they can give young people the freedom to explore their city, build independence and connect with others.
“With free bus travel available every weekend in Portsmouth throughout September, Catch the Bus Month is a brilliant opportunity to bust some of the myths around bus travel and encourage even more people to get on board and discover what their city has to offer.”