East Midlands Railway has announced that it has hosted a Christmas train children from Hartford Manor School in Norwich.
During the ride, the children were entertained with Christmas activities, refreshments, treat bags and a present from Santa!
The train travelled from Norwich to Ely and returned the same day.
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What did the officials say?
Tony Stevens, Train Driver for East Midlands Railway, said:
“The children from Harford Manor School are all aged between 4 -18 and aren't able to attend main stream schools.”
“Many of the children are autistic and can find the world a very scary place and can be upset by new environments and loud noises. As such, most avoid public transport but we hope this special train ride will not only give them a great Christmas experience but also introduce them to public transport and the opportunities to travel.”
“The train ride was a huge success. I would like to thank everyone who gave their time to help create a really magical day for the children”.
Clare Chaplin, Parent Group Chair for Harford Manor School, said:
“On Sunday 8 December, EMR did something truly wonderful, by organising a four carriage return train from Norwich to Ely with 130 passengers.”
“My son, aged 7, cannot visit Santa as he finds queues, the grotto and stimulation far too much. So to have a Santa on a train passing through the carriage was perfect gift which all of the family could enjoy.”
“The volunteers were in great festive spirits, dressed as elves, offering refreshments and snacks to all, and the children loved their special gifts from Santa.”
“We are truly grateful to EMR and their generous staff for allowing this magical event to happen, from all the families, thank you so much, you've made our Christmas!”
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