Lady Elsie Robson climbed on board Go North East’s X25 bus – which pays tribute to her late husband and former England manager, Sir Bobby Robson - to visit Langley Park Primary School in County Durham.
Go North East service X25 has been given a special livery which features a favourite family photo of Sir Bobby and promotes the work of the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation, which raises money for the early detection and treatment of cancer.
The four, X25 double deck buses run between Langley Park - where Sir Bobby lived as a youngster - and Newcastle city centre and carry details of the Foundation website on the outside of the bus as well as more photos of Sir Bobby and information on his career and the Foundation inside the bus.
Lady Elsie had been invited to travel on the bus by Go North East Managing Director Peter Huntley and saw first hand how the service is helping to spread the message of the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation as well as boost donations by incorporating the donation website address into its livery.
Arriving at Langley Park Primary School, Lady Elsie and Peter Huntley were treated to a display of footballing skills by members of the young school football team and handed over a cheque for £500 to the team from Go North East’s Community Fund.
“Go North East is well-known for operating some of the most eye-catching buses in the region,” said Peter Huntley, “many designed to provide strong cultural links with the communities they serve. When it came to deciding on a design for service X25, we were honoured that we could commemorate Sir Bobby Robson and reflect the connection he had with the community of Langley Park. Wherever our bus travels, it is helping to encourage people to support the Bobby Robson Foundation.”
Pauline Buglass, head of fund-raising for the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation, says: "We appreciate Go Ahead choosing to promote the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation on the X25 bus.
"It seems particularly fitting given Sir Bobby's close connections to both Langley Park and Newcastle and will help us to maintain awareness of his charity."
The Sir Bobby Robson Foundation operates within the Newcastle upon Tyne NHS Trust to help patients across the north east and Cumbria. It focuses on the early detection and treatment of cancer and the clinical trials of new drugs that will eventually beat it.
The charity was launched in March 2008 and, thanks to tremendous generosity from donors and fund-raisers, has now raised more than £2.4 million to help fight cancer.
