Refugees and people seeking asylum travelled by train to Cambridge in February as part of a confidence-building initiative supported by Greater Anglia’s Customer and Community Improvement Fund.
The project, delivered by Groundwork London, aimed to support new arrivals to the UK by helping them navigate the country’s rail network with greater ease. Over the course of six workshops, participants learned how to plan rail journeys, understand station layouts, practise travel-related English vocabulary, and explore destinations served by Greater Anglia services. Locations featured in the sessions included Ely, Colchester, Ipswich, Norwich and Cambridge, with each used as a starting point for themed cultural and historical activities.
At the end of the programme, the group selected Cambridge as their preferred destination for a final group trip. On 26 February, they travelled from London Liverpool Street to Cambridge, where they visited the Botanic Gardens, enjoyed a tour of the Fitzwilliam Museum, and went punting on the River Cam, taking in views of the city’s iconic college buildings.
Scott Dolling, Partnerships Manager at Greater Anglia, said:
“We are very pleased that the day trip was a success and helped to improve the group’s confidence when travelling by train. We are always looking to enhance the role of the railway in support of the community it serves, and the Customer and Community Improvement Fund is a way of supporting locally focused projects that respond to real community needs.”
One participant, Koffi, said the experience changed his outlook on travelling by train in the UK:
“I feel more confident about using railway transport outside of London now. The trip helped me overcome uncertainty about train travel and boosted my confidence navigating public spaces. It felt empowering to use the skills learned in the workshop in a real-world setting. I’d encourage anyone to take a trip like this.”
Groundwork London’s Community Programme Manager, Molly Sweeney, added:
“Community is at the heart of social integration, and at Groundwork London we support people to build connections and confidence in their new surroundings. After exploring several locations, participants voted for Cambridge as their final destination. It was a privilege to deliver this project, and the trip gave everyone something to look forward to and a sense of achievement.”
Greater Anglia’s Customer and Community Improvement Fund provides grants for projects that deliver community benefits and enhance the role of the railway across the East of England. Funding is available for initiatives led by community rail partnerships, station adopters, local authorities, charities, and other organisations along the Greater Anglia network.
Photo: Participants of the ‘Travelling Together’ project at Cambridge Station (Credit: Groundwork London)
