2024 has been another busy year for the TrainEd team. Here our some of our highlights of the year.
Dave enjoyed planning and delivering Feel Good Field Trips for over 2000 pupils during 2024 but his highlight was taking 50 pupils from Birmingham and Rugby on a trip to Wembley theatre for a workshop and to watch Starlight Express. The pupils and staff loved the experience.
Katie’s favourite bit of 2024 was exploring the more rural spaces that we can get to along the Northern network as part of a photography and writing project at Wakefield Kirkgate. A small, but dedicate group, of people visited nature reserves that were once coal mines in the local area. The impact of the industry shift is still very real (and raw in some cases) but getting out into nature gave space for reflection.
Karen’s first highlight was collecting 100 more railway stories from women for the 100 more women, 100 more journeys book that was launched at Preston Station on International Women’s Day in March. You can read the book here https://online.fliphtml5.com/fewde/omfv/?autoplay=1&auto_play=true
Karen’s other highlight has been the Platforms for Change project with Scouts. She has both project managed this project and also working with Cubs groups local to her, especially taking them for a behind the scenes tour of Leeds station for a rail safety talk.
One of the highlights for Shahiesta has been the trips into Silverdale and Arnside with Stations of Welcome. The Coppice Coop project allowed them to escape every week for 6 weeks to the beautiful countryside and discover the peaceful side of The Lakes. So much so that she is now seriously considering retiring there!! It’s such a beautiful part of the country. We are very blessed up in the North!!
Catherine’s highlight has been the expansion of Try The Train across the Northern network. There are now facilitators supporting people to grow in confidence from Newcastle to Nottingham, from Bridlington to Chester and everywhere in between, We now also have over 16 Community Rail partnerships across the network involved with Try The Train. Between May and December 2024 we have had over 205 people involved in the programme, with 80% now more confident to travel on their own on the railway network than before the programme.
