FIRST Cymru is going tea potty in the name of charity, and the company is hoping people in Swansea will do the same!

Working with Save the Children - its national charity partner - at the start of Save the Children Week, 25 April - 1 May, First Cymru is helping to host a tea party on board one of its ftrmetro vehicles in a bid to raise funds for and awareness of, the charity. Save the Children works in more than 50 countries, including the UK, in areas of health, education, and protection, responding to emergencies and trying to eradicate child poverty.

It is hoped that the tea party, which will take place at the Liberty Stadium in Swansea from 11-2pm on Sunday 25 April, will attract people from far and wide, including players and coaches from Swansea's own rugby and football teams?

With space for up to 53 seated people, and 60 standing, the ftr is the ideal space to have a social event such as a tea party, although it is quite unusual for the vehicle to be used in this way. Normally customers are discouraged from bringing food and drink on board " but the company is making a special exception for this event, allowing the charity to use the vehicle for free.

The vehicle will be static for the duration of the tea party but customers will be able to board, taking a seat, before being served their choice of tea, coffee or squash, with homemade cakes, by the on-board bus crew (made up of Save the Children volunteers and First Cymru staff). All money raised as a result will be donated directly to the charity.

Talking about the event, Tony McNiff, Managing Director of First Cymru says: "We've had a national charity partnership with Save the Children for the past two and half years, and during that time First has donated more than £2 million through fundraising, corporate donations, gifts in kind and media and promotional activities. This however is the first time we've used one of our vehicles as a venue for a fundraising event. The ftr is certainly an unusual place to hold a tea party, but the internal layout " with seats arranged in semi circles in the middle and back of the vehicle " does lend itself well to a social event such as this. We hope that as many people come along as possible, buying a tea, coffee or cake and raising much needed funds for this worthwhile charity."

The Liberty Stadium has kindly allowed First and Save the Children to use its car park for the event " an ideal location because it is easy to get to, and a very well known landmark. A representative said "We're delighted to be able to do our bit, supporting this very worthwhile event. We hope that people will come along on the day, sampling the tea, coffee and cakes and making a donation to this great cause."

Jessica Evans, Save the Children's Community Fundraising Executive in Wales, adds: "Save the Children and its Swansea Branch are delighted to be launching Save the Children Week with First Cymru at the Liberty Stadium and would like to take this opportunity to thank them for all their continuing support. Every penny raised can help save a child's life, so we'd encourage everyone to get on board during Save the Children Week, either joining us for this tea party, or organising something themselves. You could host your own coffee morning, or do something different, like being sponsored to wear something silly for the day or holding a table top sale.

"Every three seconds a child will die needlessly. We aim to reduce the number of children dying of easily preventable causes. We stopped children dying from basic illnesses in rich countries a century ago. With your help, we can end it for good in poor countries too."

As little as £10 can make a difference to Save the Children; helping to buy blankets for five children and cutting the risk of them catching pneumonia, while £50 could be used to vaccinate a whole class of children against the killer measles virus.

As well as supporting children in the world's poorest countries, Save the Children also works with children and young people in the UK. With FirstGroups support, the charity has been able to fund projects benefitting children and young people all over the UK, including those in living in South Wales. Specifically, with First's help the charity has been able to employ a Programme Manager in Wales who has taken the lead in coordinating Save the Children's response to child poverty, developing projects such as the FAST (Families and School Together) scheme to help families engage with their children's education in the early years, with the aim of improving educational attainment amongst the poorest children. Similarly, with FirstGroup's support Save the Children has also launched the 'Travelling Ahead' project working with Gypsy Traveller children from across Wales, helping them understand children's rights and enabling them to have a voice in decision making, and has been able to continue its work with the Inspiring Change Project in Cardiff, working with children and young people to understand and identify local issues linked to poverty.

To get on board and support the ftrmetro tea party, simply head down to the Liberty Stadium between 11 and 2pm on Sunday 25 April. The ftr will be parked at the front of stadium, clearly visible to those who wish to join the party. Tea, coffee and cakes will be available in exchange for donations to the charity.

To find out more about Save the Children, its work in the UK and abroad, or to find out how you can host your own fundraising tea party, log onto: www.savethechildren.org.uk