OSR Scouts Learn About Rail Safety During Rail Safety Week

Members of the Old School Rooms (OSR) Scout Troop from Stoke Gifford enjoyed a fantastic evening learning all about rail safety as part of Rail Safety Week, thanks to the team at Great Western Railway (GWR).

The evening began at Bristol Parkway station, where the Scouts were welcomed by Carys from GWR. She explained what the evening would involve before taking the group through the station, showing them how to use the ticket office, travel through the ticket barriers, find the help points and, most importantly, understand the importance of staying behind the yellow line.

The Scouts then boarded a train for the short journey to Bristol Temple Meads, giving many of them the opportunity to experience train travel in a safe and supported environment.

At Temple Meads, the group met officers from the British Transport Police, who explained their role in keeping the railway safe. They gave the Scouts an insight into their powers, specialist equipment and police vehicles, with plenty of opportunities to ask questions.

After returning to Bristol Parkway, the Scouts reflected on everything they had learned about travelling safely by rail. For some of the young people, it was their very first visit to a railway station or journey on a train. By the end of the evening, they were noticeably more confident and had a much better understanding of how to travel safely and responsibly on the rail network.

A huge thank you goes to Carys, Coral and Jane for organising such an engaging and informative session, and to all the GWR staff and British Transport Police officers who gave up their time to make the evening such a memorable experience for our Scouts.

Experiences like this help young people gain confidence, develop independence and learn valuable life skills that they can use for years to come.