10 February 2026

To support the fight against homelessness in the Manchester area, Stagecoach has donated £100,000 to a selection of grassroots charitable organisations. 

Working in collaboration with Manchester Homelessness Partnership and Forever Manchester, Stagecoach has donated £10,000 to ten different grassroots charitable organisations, which are delivering vital services to people experiencing homelessness in and around the Manchester area. 

Committed to making a tangible difference and lowering the number of rough sleepers in Manchester, Stagecoach consulted with Manchester Homelessness Partnership to understand which charities would benefit most from the support, before working closely with Forever Manchester to set up the £100,000 fund. 

As part of the Bee Network, Stagecoach Manchester is driven to making Manchester a place where everyone can be part of a greener, fairer and more prosperous city. 

The ten organisations that received a £10,000 donation as part of the Stagecoach Greater Manchester Fund were: 
1. Coffee4Craig 
2. Reach out to the Community 
3. Supporting People in Need 
4. Lifeshare 
5. On the Out CIC 
6. Barnabus 
7. Mustard Tree 
8. Booth Centre 
9. Manchester Action on Street Health 
10. Albert Kennedy Trust (AKT)

Rob Jones, Managing Director for Stagecoach Manchester, said: “Delivering social value is incredibly important for us, and we’re acutely aware of the growing demand for support from services tackling homelessness in and around Manchester. As part of the Bee Network, we wanted to use the donations to make a real difference in the region at such a critical time of year.
“By working closely with Manchester Homelessness Partnership and Forever Manchester, it’s been great to hear first-hand how the funds will be used at a grassroots level to help those who need it most.”

Dr Ruth Thompson, Chair of Manchester Homelessness Partnership, commented: “2026 marks Manchester Homelessness Partnership’s ten-year anniversary, and we remain as committed to our cause as we were on day one. Support from companies like Stagecoach is a vital part of our efforts to tackle rough sleeping across Manchester. And having worked closely with the ten charities selected for many years, we know the significant impact the Stagecoach fund will make for those in need across the region.”
The £100,000 donation, split equally between the ten charities, is already being put to work across the region. As well as providing vital support for essential items, the money is also being used to fund a Wellbeing Garden project (Supporting People in Need) and providing salary for part-time staff to work closer with vulnerable individuals (On the Out CIC).

Hendrix Lancaster, Chief Executive of Coffee4Craig, said: “This funding is providing immediate relief through our evening drop-ins, which offer hot meals, essential items and a safe, welcoming space for people experiencing homelessness or people facing housing insecurity. It will also bolster our Relief and Recovery support, enabling our team to work alongside guests to access housing routes, healthcare, benefits and other vital services. Donations like this make a real difference on the ground, helping people feel supported today, while building a pathway away from homelessness.”

Neil Cornthwaite, Interim Head of Fundraising at Barnabus, added: “We would like to say a massive thank you to Stagecoach and Manchester Homelessness Partnership. This money will allow us to keep our Beacon Support Centre open during the crucial winter months. Alongside meals, showers and clothing, our centre provides access to medical care through our NHS Primary Care Nurse. We also have a drug and alcohol support service each week alongside our NHS Homelessness Mental Health team. The funds are foundational to the work we continue to do here at Barnabus.” 

For more information on Stagecoach services, visit https://www.stagecoachbus.com/. 

For further information on Manchester Homelessness Partnership, visit https://mhp.org.uk/. 

To find out more about Forever Manchester, visit https://forevermanchester.com/. 

ENDS