Evie bus character brings children’s book to life for Lydgate J&I School pupils

A team from First Bus in Leeds surprised children at Lydgate Junior and Infant School in Batley with a visit to help its youngest pupils just beginning their education and 11-year olds getting ready to move on to secondary school in September.

A life-size Evie, an electric bus character from Tinyfoot and Evie’s Adventure to Tiny Street, arrived through the school gates to the amazement of the Reception class.

This storybook, published by First Bus in North and West Yorkshire and written in the style of famous children’s author Julia Donaldson, is designed to help young minds begin to understand about reducing carbon and environmental choices.

Pupils from Reception boarded the bus to enjoy a first reading of the book, a colourful tale which takes young readers on a trip where they meet lots of characters and learn about how electric buses can help reduce their carbon footprint and the cleaner air benefits to communities.

Each pupil was also given an Evie ‘plushie’ soft toy to remind them of the day and headed into the classroom with an activity pack including colouring-in sheets, word searches and education resources for use by schools and parents.

They were followed by a group of Year 6 pupils who used Evie for a workshop about building travel confidence including talking with the driver and on board safety to help get ready for using the bus for secondary school in September.

First Bus North & West Yorkshire colleagues, Lucy Mottram and Mub Mahmed, each led a session.

Lucy said: “This is a little book with a big message. It is a simple and engaging way to tell the story of how much bus travel is changing and its role in supporting climate change targets.”

Mubs added: “For lots of 11-year-olds, their next school year will be the first time they travel independently. We want to help them feel relaxed and this gives them the chance to ask questions and find out things about using the bus so they’re happy when the step aboard.”

Lydgate J&I Deputy Headteacher, Kelly Westbury said: “It was great that First Bus came and worked with children of various ages in school. Our younger children were able to learn about how its buses serve the local community, as well as look after the environment.

“Our older children welcomed the opportunity to practise what it would be like to safely and respectfully catch a bus to high school. The staff were welcoming and informative and encouraged the children's questioning so that they were able to fully understand the importance of local transport and what it meant to them.”

Picture captions:

Lydgate 1: (L-R) Mub Mahmed, Kelly Westbury and Lucy Mottram.

Lydgate 2: Lucy Mottram with Reception class on the Evie Bus.

Lydgate 3: Reception class with First Bus and teachers.

Lydgate 4: Lucy Mottram and pupil show off the Evie ‘plushie’ toy.

Lydgate 5: Mubs Mahmed gives safter travel training session on the bus.

Ends

Notes to editors

Copies of Tinyfoot and Evie’s Adventure to Tiny Street are available from https://www.firstbus.co.uk/west-yorkshire/about-us/first-bus-storybook  The book has been designed by an agency Cravens and illustrated by Emily Cooksey. All proceeds raised from sales will go to Macmillan Cancer Support, the national charity partner of First Bus.

First Bus operates the largest fleet of all-electric buses in West Yorkshire – 79 based at its Bramley depot in Leeds – which is making an important contribution to the goal nationally of a zero-emission fleet by 2035.