Alexander Dennis donates E400

Alexander Dennis has donated an Enviro400 that had previously been used as a test and development vehicle to the Change Please Foundation.

Change Please is a social enterprise tackling homelessness by training people to become baristas and supporting them with everything they need to turn their lives around – a living wage job, accommodation advice, therapy, bank account and onward employment opportunities.

In an initiative called Driving for Change, the Change Please Foundation takes repurposed double-deckers to key London boroughs to provide lifesaving and essential services to the most vulnerable. These include access to general NHS and oral healthcare, a hairdresser, as well as financial inclusion, social support and more. The buses can and have also been a way for guests to access the barista training programme.

The donated Enviro400 double-decker was built in 2014 as one of the prototypes of the model’s MMC generation. It has served as a test and development vehicle for the manufacturer’s engineers for the past decade.

“This donation not only enables us to extend our reach but also ensures that we can continue offering essential support” – Ken Love, Managing Director Change Please UK & Ireland

Ken Love, Managing Director Change Please UK & Ireland, said: “At Change Please, we are incredibly grateful for the generous donation from Alexander Dennis. Their support in providing a bus for our Driving for Change initiative is a game-changer in our mission to deliver vital services to those experiencing homelessness. This donation not only enables us to extend our reach but also ensures that we can continue offering essential support. Together, we are driving meaningful change and creating brighter futures for those who need it most.”

“Driving for Change is a great initiative to alleviate homelessness in the capital and we’re incredibly honoured to be able to play our part by donating this additional double-decker” – Alexander Dennis Head of Test & Development, Peter Richardson

Alexander Dennis Head of Test & Development, Peter Richardson, said: “After more than ten years as a vital part of our development fleet, our prototype Enviro400 will have an even more important role in its second life. Driving for Change is a great initiative to alleviate homelessness in the capital and we’re incredibly honoured to be able to play our part by donating this additional double-decker, allowing the Change Please Foundation to further expand its work.”