Thousands of FirstGroup’s employees, including staff from local bus operator First Essex, have chosen Prostate Cancer UK as the company’s new UK Charity of Choice partner after a recent vote.

The new three year partnership between the leading transport operator and the charity hopes to raise £1m for men affected by prostate cancer, and their partners and families, through employee events, collections and promotions.

The aim of the partnership, which begins in April 2015, is to begin life saving journeys for FirstGroup’s employees, customers and the wider community, ensuring they know their risk of prostate cancer and raising awareness of the disease and the support available from the charity.

To support this ambition, First donations will fund the production of a million ‘Know Your Prostate’ credit card sized Z-card leaflets and further specialist resources to raise awareness of prostate cancer.

First will also provide Prostate Cancer UK with valuable advertising space throughout its UK bus and rail networks which will encourage many more people to join the charity’s campaign against the disease.

Adrian Jones, Managing Director of First Essex, part of FirstGroup’s bus division, said: “My colleagues in Essex voted in massive numbers with many telling us they chose Prostate Cancer UK with family members that they care about in mind.

"We are looking forward to starting our partnership with Prostate Cancer UK in April and will be raising money and awareness locally for this important charity over the next three years.”

Owen Sharp, Chief Executive at Prostate Cancer UK, said: “It’s great to be embarking on a new journey with First Essex and FirstGroup - I’m really excited to welcome them on board.

"This partnership will offer us an excellent platform in transforming public awareness of a disease which affects one in eight men, and reaching them early will make a life-saving difference.

"The fact that FirstGroup employees voted for us shows how much men’s health, and prostate cancer in particular, is an issue, and we thank everyone who voted for us.

"Their support will also go a long way in helping Prostate Cancer UK reach its goals in building a movement fighting against the disease.”

Prostate Cancer UK was chosen following a vote of 25,000 FirstGroup employees in its bus, tram and rail companies across the UK, including First Essex.

The initiative is a key part of the company’s community strategy and the partnership will run until 2018.

This is the third UK Charity of Choice partnership that FirstGroup has adopted.

More than £5.5m has been raised so far for the previous partnerships with Save The Children and Macmillan Cancer Support.

FirstGroup is on course to donate more than £1m in cash and in kind to Macmillan before the current partnership finishes in March 2015.

Anyone with concerns about prostate cancer can contact Prostate Cancer UK’s Specialist Nurses in confidence on 0800 074 8383 or via the online Live chat, instant messaging service at www.prostatecanceruk.org.

The Specialist Nurse phone service is free to landlines and open from 9am to 6pm Monday to Friday with late opening until 8pm on Wednesdays.