Train operating company Avanti West Coast is working with a charity to help some disadvantaged families take holidays this summer.

Avanti West Coast believes that this is the first such initiative in the UK railway industry. To deliver the initiative, it is linking with the Family Holiday Charity, an organisation which was founded in 1975 and provides holidays for families who need a break from their day-to-day struggles.

The initiative will run for a trial period, during which it will help six families to travel by rail to one of the numerous holiday destinations that Avanti serves along the West Coast Main Line. The breaks will take place over the school summer holidays.

The charity takes referrals from family support specialists, social workers and organisations such as the NHS who identify families that will benefit most.

These include families experiencing financial hardship, domestic abuse, mental health problems and insecure housing. It also includes families with disabled members and with caring responsibilities.

Without help from this initiative, those families may not be able to take a holiday.

Avanti West Coast will support the families’ journey and help to build their confidence if they are not familiar with travelling by rail.

Avanti West Coast also works with other charities, in particular the Railway Children, for which it has raised money and run publicity campaigns.

“While many of the families we support have not been on a holiday before, it will also be the case that some have never travelled together by rail. Providing new experiences and opportunities to make enduring memories is central to what we do as a charity, and so we’re very excited to be working with Avanti West Coast on this summer pilot project.

“We’re really grateful for the collaboration which will provide travel for several groups this summer. We are also really looking forward to hearing how the families enjoy exploring and discovering some of the holiday hotspots on the Avanti rail network.”

Rob Parkinson, Chief Executive of the Family Holiday Charity