Avanti West Coast has partnered with a national charity to help vulnerable families enjoy much-needed breaks during the school summer holidays.
In what is believed to be a first for the rail industry, the train operator has joined forces with the Family Holiday Charity, which provides getaways for families facing difficult circumstances.
The partnership will initially launch as a trial, with Avanti West Coast supporting six families to travel by rail to holiday destinations along the West Coast Main Line this summer.
The breaks will be offered to families experiencing challenges such as financial hardship, bereavement, caring responsibilities, insecure housing, domestic abuse, mental health difficulties and disabilities.
These circumstances can make taking time away feel out of reach. Through the initiative, Avanti West Coast and the Family Holiday Charity hope to remove some of the barriers associated with summer travel and give families the chance to relax, spend quality time together and create positive memories.
Founded in 1975, the Family Holiday Charity helps families access short breaks away from the pressures of everyday life.
Families are referred to the charity by support professionals, social workers and organisations including the NHS, who identify those who could benefit most from time away together.
Through short holidays, seaside visits and days out, the charity aims to provide families with hope, confidence and opportunities to reconnect during particularly challenging periods of their lives.
Throughout the summer, the selected families will travel to destinations across the West Coast Main Line, with Avanti West Coast supporting their journeys and helping those unfamiliar with rail travel feel more confident navigating the network.
Kathryn O’Brien, Customer Experience Director at Avanti West Coast, said:
“We’re really proud to be partnering with the Family Holiday Charity this summer to offer families, who may otherwise not have the chance, the opportunity to go on holiday.
“We serve many picturesque towns and seaside destinations along the West Coast Main Line that will be the perfect destination for the families to enjoy new experiences and escapism from their day-to-day reality. The trips will offer something that many could take for granted – the opportunity to nurture relationships, create memories and reconnect with one another.”
Rob Parkinson, Chief Executive of the Family Holiday Charity, said:
“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.”
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