Introducing our Charity of the Year 2026!

We are thrilled to announce that our Charity of the Year for 2026 will be Berkshire Search and Rescue Dogs. 

Berkshire Search and Rescue Dogs are a volunteer Lowland Rescue search dog team on call 24 hours a day, helping to assist other search and rescue teams including the police. 

Their primary role is to assist with helping locate lost or missing vulnerable people.

Berkshire Search and Rescue dogs were chosen after winning two-thirds of a vote held among our own employees.

Our partnership was formally announced at our depot on Wednesday 25 February, where our charity-branded bus was unveiled, which will help advertise and spread awareness of Berkshire Search and Rescue Dogs over the next 12 months.

Charity bus

As part of our charity partnership, we’ve dedicated our advertising space on one of our buses entirely to the charity. 

This bus is one of our “generic” buses, which means it will be seen on many routes across our network, helping spread their message all over ‘Bark’shire and beyond. 

The eye-catching artwork on both sides and the rear of the bus features two of their search and rescue dogs - Otto and Chester – but many more will be appearing on our social feeds over the next year!

We hope you enjoy seeing this bus around our network, and if you spot it, be sure to tag us and the charity on social media to help raise awareness and support!

We’re looking forward to working together with the charity and our employees, customers, friends and families to help raise a generous sum of money for Berkshire Search and Rescue Dogs. Be sure to keep an eye out for some of our fundraising events and activities throughout the year.

Join us for our annual open day!

Highly anticipated and always entertaining, the annual Reading Buses Open Day will be returning once again in 2026!

Taking place on Sunday 28 June, it’s sure to be one of the best free days out in Reading this year, so be sure to add the date to your calendar. We’ll be revealing more details soon. 

All funds raised on the charity open day will go to Berkshire Search and Rescue dogs and their cause. 

To find out more about our new Charity of the Year, visit their website here.