Single-parent families in Bournemouth and Poole will benefit from free bus travel this summer thanks to a donation from Morebus. The bus operator is providing the travel as part of its community fund to help SMILE, a project run by the charity Faithworks Wessex, support local families during the school holidays.
The donation will fund a mystery tour, allowing families to board a bus for a surprise adventure without knowing the destination in advance. This initiative is designed to provide single parents and their teenagers with much-needed one-to-one time during the break. According to the charity, transport is often one of the biggest barriers for the families they support, and such outings would otherwise be out of reach.
SMILE provides support, activities, and friendship for single-parent families in the area and supported 81 families throughout 2025. The project typically runs a six-week programme during the summer, a time the charity identifies as being particularly challenging financially and emotionally for the families involved.
Morebus General Manager Richard Wade noted that this kind of experience can make a huge difference to the wellbeing of families across the region. The Morebus community fund offers up to £750 to local causes, including financial support, free travel, and marketing assistance to help community groups operate throughout Bournemouth, Christchurch, Poole, and the wider Dorset area.
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