Avanti West Coast will support young people to connect with learning opportunities as hundreds of school pupils take part in its Feel Good Field Trips initiative this summer.
The rail operator is working with partner schools located across its network in order to deliver the initiative, which will see pupils taken for a day out of summer fun and educational activities. All the schools taking part have high pupil premium rates and will see the free trips offered to over 1,500 students.
Since April last year, 1,000 pupils have taken part in just one of the 40 excursions set to take place.
In total, the scheme aims to see as many as 5,000 pupils aged between 4 and 18 given the opportunity to enjoy a train journey with hands-on learning whilst providing a culturally diverse day out which may not have been available to them before. Examples of destinations and exciting activities include an outdoor adventure in the Lake District and the opportunity to record poetry in Soho. Previous trips have also seen trips to cook curry in Manchester, a visit to the Lowry Theatre and a ride across the River Mersey.
The initiative has also seen collaborations with Community Rail Partnerships across the West Coast Main Line which have led to further trips being added, including:
- Bolton Wanderers Football Club
- Gladstone Pottery Museum in Stoke-on-Trent
- news and media workshop by The Guardian Foundation
- Tour of the Royal Liver Building in Liverpool
Community Rail Officer for Community Rail Lancashire, David Savage, has been recruited to host the days out alongside organising opportunities that would have been impossible for schools to achieve.
David said: “It's been a real privilege to be able to open up access to such a diverse range of exciting and educational experiences for pupils–many of whom wouldn't normally get the opportunity to travel to these amazing venues.”
“The feedback we have received to date has been outstanding and as the train cruises along the West Coast Main Line at 125mph, watching the reactions of children who have never experienced rail travel before is an absolute delight.”
“By the end of the summer term, more than 1,500 schoolchildren will have enjoyed a Feel Good Field Trip and we hope to deliver many more in the future.”
Andy Mellors, Managing Director at Avanti West Coast, said: “We've loved offering hundreds of school children access to opportunities they would never otherwise have the chance to experience. Seeing the excitement on the pupils' faces as they discover something new has been brilliant and is what this initiative is all about.”
“By connecting young people from all backgrounds to places along our route, we hope to broaden their horizons, which is why we're delighted to have joined up with organisations to offer more unique experiences that champion iconic destinations on the West Coast. We look forward to welcoming more children onboard our trains as they take part in these fun days out which they'll remember forever.”
The campaign is set to run over two years and follows the Avanti Schools Programme, which aims to connect young people from diverse socio-economic backgrounds to opportunities across the rail operator's route.
