West Midlands Railway has announced that it is offering free train travel between Birmingham New Street and University station to the 2,500+ competitors at this years British Transplant Games.

The annual games are taking place from Thursday 2nd August to Sunday 5th August across Birmingham. Transplant patients of all ages will participate in sports to celebrate the life-changing impact an organ donation makes.

Spectators of the games are being encouraged to travel to the games by train, with regular services running from the University Campus and the City Centre.

West Midlands Railway staff will be taking part in the 5k Donor Run on Saturday 4 August.

The British Transplant Games celebrates the life-changing impact of transplantation and raise awareness of the huge benefits that organ donation brings to both donor families and recipients. They encourage the public to discuss their wishes with their families and join the Organ Donor Register.

What did the officials say?

Brenda Lawrence, head of stations for West Midlands Railway said:

“It’s great to be able to support the games, as we are committed to making our services accessible and inclusive for all our customers.

“We are also excited to have our Journey Makers on board, who will help improve the experience for those travelling to and from events on our services.”

James Neuberger, Chair of the British Transplant Games Local Organising Committee, a Trustee of Transplant Sport and Consultant Transplant Physician at Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham, is looking forward to the celebrations. He said:

“Thousands of people are expected to arrive in Birmingham across the course of the British Transplant Games weekend and thanks to the generosity of West Midlands Railway, they will be able to travel quickly and effortlessly between venues, meaning they get to enjoy as many events as possible.

“Support from organisations like West Midlands Railway goes a long way to help make sure the weekend goes smoothly and we are hoping that a competitor presence on the trains will not only help people have the best possible experience at the Games, but also help spark conversation with other travellers about organ donation.”

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