First Bus and Leeds Rhinos become partners to promote ‘One Team’
First Bus has teamed up with Leeds Rhinos to launch a new partnership promoting the club’s ambitions to develop inclusivity and diversity in sport.
Yesterday (Sunday 25 February) players representing all its teams in rugby league and netball joined with the bus operator to hold a taster session outside Leeds Art Gallery to entice new fans to discover more about how the games are played in different forms.
The square in front of the gallery was turned into an arena for people to try wheelchair rugby and netball.
First Bus has become its official One Team, Team Rhinos Bus Partner and will work with the Leeds Rhinos Foundation to support initiatives taking rugby league and netball into the community.
First Bus employees will also volunteer alongside players from all the club’s squads to bring both sports to a wider audience and encourage participation and grow spectator attendance at matches.
The One Team, Team Rhinos has been emblazoned on a double-decker bus that will take the club’s message throughout Leeds. The branded bus features the faces of well-known players including including Cameron Smith (Men’s Rugby), Geva Mentor (Netball), Hanna Butcher (Women’s Rugby), Mitch Woodham (Learning Disability Rugby), Tommy Pouncey (Physical Disability Rugby) and Jodie Boyd Ward (Wheelchair Rugby).
Ben Turnbull, Business Development Manager of Leeds Rhinos, said: “Our partnership with First Bus is built on shared values and objectives, celebrating inclusivity and engaging with our communities. The people of Leeds are so important to Leeds Rhinos and First Bus, and holding an event in the city with players from each team attending is the perfect way to launch the partnership and unveil the amazing One Team, Team Rhinos branded bus.”
Lucy Mottram, Marketing Manager of First Bus in West Yorkshire, added: “This builds on our strong partnership with the club and takes our support in a new direction.
“First Bus is working to develop a more diverse workforce that is representative of the communities we serve, so joining with the Leeds Rhinos in a shared objective to highlight the importance of inclusivity and diversity in the city is an opportunity from which we can both benefit.”
Picture caption:
Leeds Rhinos 1 & 2 (from left) Geva Mentor, Hanna Butcher, Mitch Woodham, Jodie Boyd Ward, Cameron Smith and Tommy Pouncey.
Leeds Rhinos 3: Club mascot Ronnie The Rhino with (from left) Geva Mentor, Hanna Butcher, Mitch Woodham, Jodie Boyd Ward, Cameron Smith and Tommy Pouncey.
Leeds Rhinos 4: Club mascot Ronnie The Rhino with (from left) Cameron Smith, Mitch Woodham, Jodie Boyd Ward, Tommy Pouncey, Geva Mentor and Hanna Butcher.
Leeds Rhinos 5: (from left) Cameron Smith, Mitch Woodham, Geva Mentor, Jodie Boyd Ward, Tommy Pouncey and Hanna Butcher.
Ends
Media enquiries to Richard Harrison, PR Manager, First Bus North & West Yorkshire 07973 668116 richard.m.harrison@firstbus.co.uk
Notes to editors
About First Bus
At First Bus, we are on a mission to grow bus usage. We will get behind initiatives that move people out of cars and onto bus.
We are one of the UK’s largest bus operators, delivering over a million passenger journeys every day for the communities we serve.
Transforming our business for the better, we are putting our people and customers at the heart of all we do.
We are all about making journeys easier for our customers, which is why we were the first national bus operator to rollout Tap On, Tap Off payment technology across our entire UK fleet of 4500 buses. Our First Bus app has also been voted ‘best in class’ amongst UK bus operators.
First Bus is committed to operating a zero-emission bus fleet by 2035. By March 2024, 15% of our will fleet will comprise Zero Emission Buses (ZEBs).
We are passionate about giving back to the communities we serve, which is why we are helping local businesses to progress their own decarbonisation journeys with access to our charging hubs while our buses are on the road.
We also operate the Aircoach network in Ireland, Specialist Passenger Solutions, First Travel Solutions and Ensignbus.
First Bus is a division of FirstGroup. Find more information on First Bus here: https://news.firstbus.co.uk/