Public voting and entries open for Carousel Buses' new Brand the Bus competition

Buckinghamshire-based good causes are being encouraged to sign up to a new competition launched by Carousel Buses after entries and public voting opened on New Year’s Day. 

Brand the Bus will enable a local good cause to have its branding splashed across an entire double-decker bus that will serve Wycombe and surrounding routes for 12 months

The competition’s first prize is worth a bumper £60,000, thanks to partnerships with Wycombe Wanderers and Wycombe Sound, who have each committed to providing additional advertising opportunities to the winning entry. 

It marks the first time Carousel Buses is operating Brand the Bus and follows the success of an equivalent competition run by sister company Oxford Bus Company since 2018. All charities and good causes with a presence in Buckinghamshire or the nearby surrounding area that benefit the local community are eligible to enter. 

Entrants must complete a simple online entry form stating what it would mean to win the competition. 

Luke Marion, Managing Director of Carousel Buses, encouraged charities to get their entries in before they close on Saturday, March 1. 

“Brand the Bus presents a truly unique opportunity for good causes in Buckinghamshire to showcase their work and raise their profile,” said Luke. 

“The competition has delivered significant impact for several winning charities in Oxfordshire in recent years, so we’re pleased to expand Brand the Bus into Buckinghamshire for 2025. 

“A huge thank you to Wycombe Wanderers and Wycombe Sound for supporting this year’s launch competition, which will climax in the autumn with the unveiling of a newly branded double-decker bus. 

“Entries close on March 1, so charities have plenty of time to enter with public voting live until April 1. We look forward to judging all submissions later this year, and best of luck to everyone who enters.”

The top 10 charities from the public vote will be shortlisted and go to a judging panel who will decide the Brand the Bus 2025 winner. The winner will be announced in June with the branded bus unveiled and put into service in the autumn. 

Charities and good causes can enter this year’s Brand the Bus competition by completing an online submission form via www.carouselbuses.co.uk/brand-the-bus.

The winning prize will be awarded to the entry that has, in the panel’s opinion, fulfilled the brief to the highest standard. The winning organisation will be invited to work with Carousel Buses on the design. 

Carousel Buses, a subsidiary of the Go-Ahead Group, operates buses in High Wycombe and the wider South Buckinghamshire area. It also serves Maidenhead, Reading, Slough, Windsor, Hemel Hempstead and Uxbridge and carries more than five million passengers each year.