18/02/2005

• Total donations hit £180,000 as company matches staff fund-raising on top of £100,000 pledge

Stagecoach Group employees have raised £40,000 to help the international response to the Asian tsunami disaster, it was confirmed today (18 February 2005).

The company is also matching the fund-raising activities of its 30,000 employees in the UK, North America and New Zealand pound for pound.

Combined with Stagecoach’s earlier pledge of £100,000 to the disaster appeal, it means the company and it employees will contribute £180,000 to help the relief effort and rebuilding work in south-east Asia.

Stagecoach Group Chief Executive Brian Souter said: “Our employees were very touched by the scale of the human tragedy caused by the disaster and it is heartening to see such a response.”

The funds being donated by Stagecoach Group are being channeled through four charities - Save the Children, British Red Cross, Tearfund and World Vision - which are part of the Disasters Emergency Committee.

ENDS

For further information, please contact:
Steve Stewart, Head of Media and Public Affairs, Stagecoach Group
Tel: 01738 442111 or 07764 774680

Notes to Editors:

Stagecoach Group is a leading international transport company, with operations in the UK, the USA, Canada and New Zealand. The Group’s businesses, which include bus, train, tram, express coach, and ferry operations, operate around 16,000 vehicles and rolling stock and employ around 30,000 people. The company’s headquarters are in Perth, Scotland.