Oxford City Farm has been named runner-up in this year’s Brand the Bus competition, securing an enhanced advertising prize package designed to raise awareness of its work across Oxfordshire.
The East Oxford-based urban farm, which provides opportunities for local people to engage with farming, animals and nature, will benefit from a £20,000 campaign funded through the annual initiative run by Oxford Bus Company and Thames Travel.
The expanded runner-up package includes a rear advertisement on a double-decker bus, digital on-bus advertising, and a three-month radio campaign featuring five 30-second adverts per day on Brand the Bus partner Get Radio.
Boost for community awareness
Oxford City Farm, based in Cornwallis Road, also plays a wider role in the community by increasing access to fresh, nutritious and affordable food, while promoting sustainable growing practices and reducing food waste.
Staff, trustees and volunteers have supported the site since 2008. A 40-year lease secured in 2017 enabled longer-term stability, followed by the opening of a community kitchen in 2021.
Nicole Titera, Farm Lead at Oxford City Farm, said the recognition would make a meaningful difference to the charity’s visibility.
She said: “Everyone here at the farm is thrilled to have been named this year’s Brand the Bus runner-up.
“As a smaller community charity, this is a fantastic opportunity for us to increase awareness of the work we do, and we are truly grateful to Oxford Bus Company for allowing us to amplify our message across the city.
“This runner-up prize will have a positive impact on the charity and our community, and we’re excited to start building new partnerships and relationships.”
Competition highlights strong local causes
Now in its eighth year, Brand the Bus received 8,822 public votes in April, narrowing 71 entrants down to a top 10 shortlist before a judging panel selected the final winners.
Sobell House Hospice, which provides specialist palliative and end-of-life care for adults in Oxfordshire along with support for families, was named overall winner of the competition.
Luke Marion, Managing Director of Oxford Bus Company and Thames Travel, said both finalists represented outstanding local causes.
He said: “In our winner and runner-up, we have two incredibly worthwhile causes that carry out fantastic work across Oxfordshire.
“Both submitted fantastic cases and received brilliant feedback from the judging panel. With that in mind, we made the decision to boost the runner-up prize package, so Oxford City Farm will now additionally benefit from a rear bus advertisement.
“Brand the Bus remains a hugely respected competition with enormous reach, and we’re proud of what it continues to achieve.”
Campaigns set for launch
Oxford City Farm and Sobell House Hospice will now work with the bus company on their branded designs, with the advertising campaigns expected to launch this autumn.
Previous winners of Brand the Bus include Girlguiding Oxfordshire, Home-Start Oxfordshire, Blue Skye Thinking, Restore, SeeSaw, Oxford Hospitals Charity, and children’s mental health charity One-Eighty.
