Northern Rail & SELFA children’s charity: Tickets to brighter futures

Posted: 20th October 2025

Many of us don’t think twice about getting on a train to go to work, shopping or a family day out. But for lots of children and young people, rail travel isn’t an option – because money doesn’t stretch to cover the cost of a ticket, or they don’t feel confident navigating public transport.

This is why for the last ten years, we’ve been working with Northern Rail to provide children and young people the chance to travel and explore.

Currently, around 600 children take part in our activities, groups and trips every year. Generously, Northern Rail provides us with train tickets every holiday so we can provide children with new experiences and a chance to thrive in a new environment. Think beach trips, adventures to Leeds and Bradford, fun splash parks, and more!

But how did it all start? This partnership came about when Isabel McKenzie, who was working as a business connector at Business in the Community at the time, introduced SELFA to Richard Isaacs, a regional community and sustainability manager for Northern in Leeds.

“It started off as one of those chance email exchanges,” Isaacs says. “It was really about the misconception that everyone who lives in a rural community – like Skipton or Carlisle – lives in an affluent area. This isn’t true. I saw SELFA was doing a really good job, we thought it would be a great partnership, and now it comes around every summer and school holiday.”

Gaining confidence with new experiences

Experiencing rail travel and going on day trips can have a significant positive impact on children and young people. Something as seemingly small as a trip to a museum can be an eye-opening experience for a child – and allow them to form relationships, grow in confidence and become more independent.

One parent told us: “I feel it is very important for families who don’t always have the spare money to get the children out and about on a weekly basis with the cost of living. The staff are professional and helpful, and the children enjoy their time spent with them and other children.”

Isaacs adds that the scheme gives young people the opportunity to access things they wouldn’t normally be able to. “People may not have been to a city like Leeds or Bradford. But now, they have met people from diverse communities across the North – it’s a real positive.”

Learning to use public transport

Rail journeys can be so much more than getting from A to B. During the trips, children are taught how to use public transport safely. They also get the chance to learn how to navigate different towns and cities – skills that they can use for the rest of their lives.

And who doesn’t enjoy watching the landscape pass by on a train journey? One child commented that they loved “seeing the world go by” and found the experience calming.

Another child, who had visited the beach at Morecambe this summer, told us: “All my favourite things in one day, the beach, the park, the train and my friends.”

Looking to the future

The trips also open up new opportunities for the future. “People may not have considered the railways as a career opportunity,” Isaacs says. “But children get a chance to speak to rail staff about what they do. The world becomes a bigger place. You can live in your rural community and still have employment opportunities elsewhere, like Carlisle and Leeds.”

Together with Northern Rail, we’re not just giving children free tickets to travel – we’re opening doors to confidence, independence and brighter futures.