Schoolchildren from the Shade School in Soham have enjoyed a trip by train to help build their confidence to travel by rail.

The trip from Soham to Ely on Thursday 6 February was organised by the Hereward Community Rail Partnership (CRP), which works to engage local communities along Fenland’s Hereward Line between Ely and Peterborough, in partnership with Greater Anglia.

At Ely, the youngsters enjoyed a station safety quiz, a safety-focused tour of Ely station and a ‘spot the red hare’ trail.

Joanne Rose, Hereward CRP officer, said: “We were delighted to host children from the Soham school to use their station and the train, for the first time since the station opened in 2021.

“There were some very nervous children when they got on the train but, by the end, their faces were beaming, and they were busy asking questions and comparing trains!

“The trip was really good for building confidence to travel by rail which can open doors to education, employment and endless leisure opportunities. It was wonderful to see how much the children enjoyed the trip.”

Shade School year 4 teacher Mrs Jackie Deal said: “The children returned to school buzzing with excitement about the day and parents said it was all they could talk about when they got home. We are really grateful for the experience and hope to plan more in the future!”

Alan Neville, Greater Anglia’s Customer and Community Engagement Manager, said: “This was a wonderful event, and we are very grateful to the Hereward Community Rail Partnership for the great work they are doing to put railways at the heart of the communities they serve, provide fun educational opportunities and build confidence to travel.”

Learn more about Greater Anglia’s work in the community here.

Keep up to date with future news, projects and events from Hereward CRP via their website.