By Gemma Redson, Baritone Section Leader

This year’s Reading Buses Open Day was personally one to remember – not just for the sunshine, the crowds, or the incredible £12,800 raised for Berkshire Youth (a new record!), but because I got to take part in it in a very special way.

I had the absolute joy of performing at the event alongside my talented friends in The Barberettes. With the heat blazing down, we still managed to power through our competition rep – perfect practice for our upcoming trip to France where we’ll be competing internationally.

One of the real highlights? Seeing our name up in lights on the front of a bus! It was such a lovely touch and made the whole day feel even more magical. We also grabbed a fab photo with the Mayor of Reading Cllr Alice Mpofu-Coles and our local MP Matt Rodda.

Being a part of this event meant a lot to me, as I work for Reading Buses. I’ve had so many kind comments from colleagues about how professional we looked and sounded, which honestly means the world.

A huge thank you to everyone who supported us and helped raise such an incredible amount for a brilliant local charity. What a day!