Avanti West Coast teams up with rugby club to offer trip for Blackpool students

Avanti West Coast has welcomed the first group of schoolchildren on their journey to the home of Warrington Wolves, as part of its groundbreaking Feel Good Field Trips initiative.

Year 3 pupils from Mereside Primary Academy in Blackpool travelled by train to Warrington Bank Quay for a fun and educational day out at the Halliwell Jones Stadium –where the Super League club play their home matches.

They enjoyed a tour of the stadium, an interactive session about how mental and physical health are linked, as well as the chance to learn how to throw and catch a rugby ball.

This unique outing was made possible after Avanti West Coast teamed up with the charitable arm of the Rugby League Club to create a different hands-on learning experience for its Feel Good Field Trips scheme.

With mental and physical wellbeing closely linked, the train operator and club partnered with Select Training – a community interest company based in St Helens, Merseyside, that support and train organisations and the community around positive mental health – on the trip.

As part of the itinerary, children participated in Mini Medic sessions to learn how to take care of their wellbeing, as well as look out for people around them.

Feel Good Field Trips is designed to give up to 5,000 pupils aged between four and 18 the chance to travel by train with Avanti West Coast for fun and educational days out that may have previously been inaccessible for them.

The inaugural trip to Warrington Wolves comes just a few weeks after the intercity operator welcomed the 2,500th pupil to take part in a day out on the West Coast.

Joanna Buckley, Community Manager at Avanti West Coast, said: “Warrington Wolves are well known on the West Coast and in the world of sport, so we’re delighted to offer young people a day trip to the home of this great club.

“Connecting school pupils to learning opportunities they would never otherwise have access to is what Feel Good Field Trips is all about. We’re excited to have worked with Warrington Wolves Foundation and Select Training to combine physical activity and education around mental health for this unique outing. It’s sure to be an experience they’ll never forget.”

David Savage from Community Rail Lancashire, who facilitates the Feel Good Field Trips, said: “I am delighted to partner with Warrington Wolves Rugby Club and Select Training to offer this exciting Feel Good Field Trip. It was a joy to witness the children’s enthusiasm and engagement throughout the day, and I am excited about the positive impact future trips will have on young people in the local community.”

James Howes, Health and Wellbeing Manager at Warrington Wolves, said: “We are delighted to be part of the Feel Good Field Trips initiative. The Halliwell Jones Stadium in Warrington is within walking distance from Bank Quay station and through this groundbreaking partnership we hope to inspire children to become the best version of themselves by supporting their physical and emotional wellbeing.

“Warrington Wolves Rugby League Club is the heartbeat of the town and by using our elite athletes as role models, we can positively influence the choices children make now and in the future.”

Joanne Wormald, Director at Select Training, said: “We are thrilled to be part of this Feel Good Field Trip, providing children with the opportunity to practice positive mental health techniques during their Mini Medics session and see the importance of both physical and mental health combined.”