Community
Working closely with the local community is an important part of encouraging greater rail travel and ensuring the social, environmental and economic effectiveness of railways.
The communities in which we operate include both our employees and the service-using public. We seek to engage with them, not only through operation of our services, but in ways that enhance the life of each community.
All our train operating companies sponsor and support selected causes.
- First Great Western has a partnership with the Family Holiday Association which assists disadvantaged families by giving them free tickets to have a holiday at the seaside.
- To commemorate the launch of the new First Great Western franchise the company named a rose in its honour and planted it at stations across the region. The rose is being sold commercially with £1.50 from each sale donated to the children's charity CLIC Sargent.
- This year First ScotRail donated £10,000 to the Railway Benefits Fund to mark their second anniversary.The fund helps railway workers and their families with practical and financial support. It can provide cash grants to those in real need due to sickness, family breakdown bereavement or other problems.
- First ScotRail continues to provide complimentary travel passes to the Clown Doctors programme run by the Scottish charity Hearts and Minds. Twice a week professional performers visit children in hospital performing music, song and clowning.
- Hull Trains was the official sponsor of two awards at the 5th International Short Film Festival, one of the highlights of Hull's cultural calendar that attracts national interest.
- Hull Trains supports the Humber Mouth Literary Festival which attracts literary figures from around the world.
- First Great Western supported the Affordable Art Fair, an event designed to make art more accessible to people in the region.
- First Great Western support the young musicians from the internationally renowned Dartington International Summer School.
- First ScotRail runs the First ScotRail Press Photography Awards and has sponsored the Mackintosh Festival in Glasgow to celebrate the world-renowned architect Charles Rennie Mackintosh.
Bringing Business to Life for Young People
First ScotRail has teamed up with businessdynamics, one of the UK's leading educational charities. businessdynamics helps to bring business to life for young people by increasing their awareness of career opportunities before they leave school.
Trained volunteers from First ScotRail go into the classroom, talk to children about what they do in their work and set them related tasks to develop their problem-solving skills.
First Great Western Provide Work Experience for Those with Special Needs
In partnership with a specialist employment agency and Ormend School for children with disabilities, First Great Western offers employment experience for children and adults with special needs. Children from Ormend School attend one day's work experience. Adults are allocated a six-week placement at a station to help them prepare for and find employment.
Adopt a Station
The Adopt a Station scheme is a key part of the UK Rail division's community programme. The train operating companies help fund community groups to make their local stations more attractive and customer-friendly. The schemes have involved installing flower tubs, hanging baskets and planters at a number of stations and re-using station accommodation for facilities such as coffee shops, refreshment kiosks, professional ironing services and a charity book shop.
Bringing Art to the Underpass
Through the Adopt a Station scheme, First Great Western has worked with Bracknell and Wokingham College of Art students to brighten up the walls of the main station underpass. More than a dozen wall paintings, each 6ft high, create a mural of scenes from the First Great Western region.
Supporting Community Volunteering
Part of the UK Rail division supervisory training NVQ (First into Management) involves participants in community work. First TransPennine Express has also introduced a community element into their three-day leadership training programme. Participants participate in a local community project such as working with a local care home or school.
Overgrown School Garden Receives Makeover
As part of their supervisory training, a team of 14 employees from First Capital Connect undertook a makeover of an overgrown school garden at St. Bartholomew's Primary School in Brighton. The task included clearing the overgrown site, painting fences, planting and installing bird boxes.
Developing Community Partnerships
A number of our operating companies have developed community partnerships that work to develop initiatives to help promote local events, encourage community involvement and increase rail travel to the areas involved. Examples of successful partnerships include The Penistone Line, Community Rail Humber and the Hope Valley Line. This year a new Lakes Line Community Rail Partnership (from Oxenholme to Windermere) was established by First TransPennine Express which involves stakeholders with a wide range of interests.