Avanti West Coast will continue to connect young people to learning opportunities, as we prepare to take hundreds of school pupils on days out this summer for our Feel Good Field trips initiative.

Children from our network of partner schools, which are largely disadvantaged students who would not otherwise have this opportunity, will be taking the train this summer for fun and educational days out – marking over 1,500 students to be offered free trips by Avanti West Coast.

Since launching in April 2022, Feel Good Field Trips – a first of its kind initiative aiming to connect pupils around the country to immersive and enriching learning opportunities – 1,000 children have so far taken part in one of the 40 planned excursions.

The campaign is designed to give up to 5,000 pupils aged between four and 18, the chance to travel by train for hands-on learning, and culturally diverse days out that may previously have been inaccessible for them.

The trips organised have given pupils the opportunity to discover some key destinations on the West Coast – from an outdoor adventure in the Lake District to writing and recording poetry in Soho. Other activities have included trips to Manchester to cook up a curry and visit The Lowry theatre or enjoy a ferry ride on the River Mersey.