Press releases

Everton Football Club joined forces with bus company Arriva and Liverpool City Council to launch the Healthy Schools Bus today. The club’s star strike force of Andrew Johnson and James Beattie, along with Everton and England ladies goalkeeper, Rachel Brown, were also on hand to lend their support to the project, believed to be the first of its kind in the UK.

The groundbreaking initiative aims to raise awareness among Liverpool schoolchildren of the benefits of healthy eating and an active lifestyle.

The bus, donated by Arriva, has been fully refurbished to include state of the art computer technology and will be visiting every primary school in Liverpool during the course of the next school year, as part of a programme linked to the national curriculum.

The Healthy Schools Bus would not have been possible without the committed support of Arriva and the Liverpool City Council,

explained Graham Lewis, chief executive officer of Everton in the community.

We believe that the project will deliver a government agenda that will impact upon 8,000 primary school children across Liverpool in its first year. While football remains fundamental to our community programme, the Healthy Schools Bus allows us to engage with a wider audience regardless of ability.

Nick Gordon, marketing manager for Arriva North West and Wales, added:

We are delighted to be involved in such a high profile initiative. Arriva is committed to supporting the local community wherever possible and, with such clear benefits for the young people of Liverpool, the Healthy Schools Bus is a worthy example of that.

Arriva has also agreed to maintain and service the Healthy Schools Bus, as well as training new drivers.