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Caledonian
Sleeper raises £5,000 to support
vulnerable young people using Glasgow’s
rail network.
Railway Children,
a charity dedicated to providing crucial
support to at-risk children and young
people on the UK rail network, received
a warm welcome today as it accepted a
generous donation of £5,000 from
Caledonian Sleeper.
This substantial contribution will be
instrumental in financing Railway
Children's new project based in Glasgow.
The initiative aims to unite the rail
industry and British Transport Police in
offering assistance to vulnerable young
individuals in the area. These young
people often seek refuge on the rail
network or face potential exploitation
while utilizing it.
In a remarkable gesture, Caledonian
Sleeper had earlier launched a special
limited-edition single cask single malt
whisky to commemorate 150 years of
Scotland to London sleeper services.
Pledging the profits from the sale of
its exclusive 70cl bottles to Railway
Children, the company demonstrated their
commitment to making a positive impact.
The limited availability of only 200
individually numbered bottles resulted
in a swift sell-out within a month,
generating a total donation of £5,000
for the charitable cause.
Kathryn Darbandi, Managing Director for
Caledonian Sleeper, said: "It’s so
important that the vulnerable children
and young people using our railway
network get the care and support they
need. As a proud member of the rail
industry, this cause is close to our
hearts, and we hope our donation today
helps make a difference in Glasgow.
"Glasgow Central Station is one of the
main transport hubs we service and so,
it felt only right that our donation
should go towards funding Railway
Children’s vital new project in the
city."
Railway Children is dedicated to
supporting children and young people who
face various risks while using the UK
railway network. These risks may include
running away from home or care, meeting
potentially harmful individuals, or
becoming victims of exploitation through
County Lines drug running activity.
Having experienced success with projects
in London, Yorkshire, the West Midlands,
and the Northwest of England, Railway
Children is now embarking on its first
venture into Scotland with the
introduction of the new Glasgow project.
In this initiative, the charity will
extend direct support to vulnerable
young individuals in Glasgow, identified
through referrals from British Transport
Police. The services offered will be
tailored to meet individual needs and
may include welfare visits, as well as
parental and family support.
To further protect vulnerable youth,
Railway Children will provide training
for rail staff in Glasgow. This training
aims to equip them with the knowledge
and skills needed to safeguard young
passengers effectively. Additionally,
the charity will maintain regular
meetings with the local Safeguarding
Action Group, enabling them to identify
specific needs and understand the unique
context of Glasgow to better address the
challenges faced by at-risk young people
in the area.
Jack Miller, Group Director of
Fundraising & Marketing at Railway
Children, commented: "We’re thrilled
that Caledonian Sleeper has chosen to
raise money for our cause. Our new
Glasgow project will allow us to cast
our safety net into Scotland and support
even more young people. This donation
will help get the project up and
running."
Alongside the generous donation to
Railway Children today, Caledonian
Sleeper has also decided to contribute
one of the rare limited edition 70cl
whisky bottles to the Scottish
loneliness and animal charity, Give a
Dog a Bone. This exclusive bottle will
be auctioned later in the year as part
of fundraising endeavors.
The special whisky was created in
collaboration with Annandale Distillery,
one of the oldest operating distilleries
in Scotland. Aged for eight years and
bottled at 50% ABV, this unpeated malt
was matured in an American oak
ex-bourbon cask and carefully
hand-selected by the Caledonian Sleeper
team at the distillery.
Named after the iconic sleeper service
that first journeyed from Glasgow to
London King's Cross via Edinburgh on 2nd
April 1873, the whisky carries the
fitting moniker "Caledonian Sleeper."
To learn more about the anniversary
celebrations of Caledonian Sleeper,
visit their website at www.sleeper.scot.
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