Mansfield bus operator giving all current and ex-military personnel free travel on Armed Forces Day

Armed Forces Day – on Saturday, June 24 – is a chance for the public to show support for the men and women who make up the armed forces community, from currently serving troops to service families, veterans and cadets.

Stagecoach bus companies across the UK, including in the East Midlands, are offering free travel on both June 24 and 25 to serving personnel wearing their uniform, carrying a military ID card and to veterans carrying a medal or veteran’s badge.

Stagecoach also offers free bus and tram travel every year for veterans and military personnel on Remembrance Day and Remembrance Sunday.

The commitment to free travel for the Armed Forces is supported by Stagecoach’s employee-led neterans network.

Stagecoach has also been a member of the Armed Forces Covenant since March 2015, recognising the value of serving personnel, regular and reservists, veterans and military families to both the country and businesses across the country.

Kathryn Dawson, a Stagecoach bus driver, is co-lead for the Stagecoach veterans network, having previously served in the Armed Forces serving in Germany, Canada, and the Middle East, in the Royal Artillery and the Royal Logistics corps.

She said: “We know our employees right across the country are passionate about showing their support and appreciation for our military personnel.

“We’re therefore really pleased to be offering free travel to help people more easily join in with the events taking place over the weekend.

“We are proud to have thousands of ex-forces personnel working across our business.

“Through our veterans network, we are able to build even further on the work that Stagecoach has led over many years and identify how else we can support those veterans already working for us and those who may want to come and join the company.

“Through our veterans network, we have been attending military recruitment events across the UK to see how we can further support those leaving the armed forces.

“And as a result, we have been pleased to see an increase in the number of veterans interested in positions with Stagecoach.”