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MIX 56 CHESHIRE'S BEST MUSIC MIX
Day of Action at Crewe Railway Station
Day of Action brings safeguarding message to Crewe station
Amid the hustle and bustle of platform 5 at Crewe railway station on Wednesday, a hive of activity and community spirit marked Avanti West Coast’s Day of Action – a nationwide campaign to help passengers spot and support vulnerable young people on the rail network.
The three-day initiative, led by the UK-based charity Railway Children and backed by train operators across England, Scotland and Wales, kicked off in Glasgow before travelling to key hubs including Crewe, managed by Avanti West Coast.
Digital posters highlighting the signs of a vulnerable child are being shown on ticket machines and onboard trains throughout the event, while staff and volunteers speak directly with customers about what to do if they spot someone who may need help.
Nat Richbell-Beer, Safeguarding and Crime Manager at Avanti West Coast, spoke about the behind-the-scenes work at the rail operator and the special relationship with Railway Children.
She said the partnership is “vital to keeping young people on our railways safe” and that expanding the campaign to three days with more train operators strengthens the protective network across Britain’s railways.
Avanti West Coast
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Nat Richbell-Beer Ian
What is Railway Children?
No better person to explain the charity’s mission than Rob Capener, CEO of Railway Children, which has its roots in India and has been supporting vulnerable children travelling the railways for more than 30 years.
Railway Children works in the UK, India and Tanzania to protect children alone and at risk on the streets and at transport hubs, focusing on early intervention, family reunification where possible, and tailored support to prevent young people from being lost to the streets.
In the UK, its Safeguarding on Transport Programme works alongside British Transport Police and the rail industry to train staff to recognise vulnerability and respond effectively, while Youth Practitioners provide one-to-one support at stations.
Data gathered over a year following early intervention work in the north west of England showed 81% of supported young people felt an improvement in their wellbeing and 91% felt safer, with 91% saying they were better equipped to deal with future issues.
The Railway Children
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Rob Capener Ian
Community Partners & The Mayor of Crewe
The day wouldn’t have been complete without support from local organisations including Everybody Health & Leisure and One You Cheshire – alongside special guests such as the Mayor of Crewe, Cllr Stuart MacKay.
Ian caught up with the Mayor, who stressed the importance of these awareness campaigns and highlighted the positive vibe surrounding Crewe as a town at the moment.
The Mayor of Crewe
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Cllr Stuart MacKay Ian
School holidays and the trespassing message
While Day of Action focused on raising awareness of vulnerable children on the railway, the timing – as school holidays begin – also offered a chance to highlight the dangers of trespassing on the tracks, a message that Nat from Avanti was keen to stress.
With summer holidays underway, rail safety messages around trespassing are particularly timely as figures show more people are taking risks on the railway.
Rail Safety
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Nat Richbell-Beer Ian
A very insightful and important day
From platform 5 at Crewe, the message was clear: safeguarding is a shared responsibility, and everyone has a role to play in keeping children out of harm’s way on the rail network.
With Avanti West Coast, Railway Children, local partners and the wider rail industry working together, the Day of Action brought a powerful, positive community-integrated approach to Crewe – and beyond.
