Reading Buses employees, their families and friends are set to swap buses for walking boots as they take on five of the company’s routes to raise money for charity.
The groups will set off from Reading Station at 09:30 BST on Sunday, 13 September, following their chosen bus routes as closely as possible.
The event is being held as part of Reading Buses’ 125th anniversary celebrations and will raise money for the company’s Charity of the Year, Berkshire Search and Rescue Dogs.
Five routes have been selected, with their numbers adding up to 125.
They are the sky blue 15, purple 17, white knight 20, berry 23 and greenwave 50.
The walks range from two to six miles, with each group joined by at least two representatives from Berkshire Search and Rescue Dogs – including some of the charity’s search dogs.
The greenwave 50 group will make a slight diversion from the bus route, following the River Kennet for part of the walk rather than walking alongside the A33.
Organiser Sharmila Perera, a finance business partner at Reading Buses, said the event was designed to mark the company’s anniversary while supporting a local charity.
“Reading Buses has been serving the community since 1901, so we wanted to celebrate this special milestone by doing something that brings our employees, their families, friends and even their pet dogs out into the community,” she said.
“We chose five routes that added up to 125 and chose £1,250 as our target to keep everything symbolic.”
The groups will include people dressed as a purple dinosaur, representing the number 17 route, as well as a dog-themed costume to represent the charity.
After completing their walks, participants will catch a bus back into Reading before meeting up to socialise and rest.
The organisers are hoping to raise £1,250 for Berkshire Search and Rescue Dogs.
Members of the public can support the fundraising effort through the group’s JustGiving page.
