Thameslink has teamed up with Woodlands Meed School and College at Burgess Hill in West Sussex to teach its students how to travel independently by rail.

Woodlands Meed is a school and college for youngsters with special educational needs that provides individualised care and learning for students aged between 2 and 19 years and aims to teach them life skills.

Thameslink‘s partnership with the Woodlands Meed will help its children experience Morph’s Epic Art Adventure, which is London’s first step-free art trail and features over 50 giant six-foot tall sculptures of the lovable children’s TV character Morph. The trail is raising money for the children’s wheelchair charity Whizz Kidz.

Last week, Thameslink managers took a party of 20 of the school’s students aged 13 and 14 by train from Burgess Hill to London Bridge station, showing them how to seek assistance, check train times, buy tickets, and safely board the train.

Whilst in London the group toured London Bridge station with Thameslink’s station manager before following the art trail along the River Thames to Blackfriars station where Thameslink has its own sculpture of Morph.

The Morph art trail runs until August, and after it finishes the Morphs will be auctioned off to raise money for Whizz Kidz. The aim is to raise £500,000 for the charity to support young people through providing the wheelchairs, equipment, support, and confidence-building experiences that they need, and by campaigning for a more inclusive society.

Teacher Jan James said: “This was a fabulous event. We really need the students to be thinking now towards their future independence. They need to be confident and happy with all forms of transport and trains are a great way to start on this because they are so accessible.

“On the railway, there is lots of help available if they need it. There are also really good signs in the trains now which is good for the students. Trains are a very safe and secure environment.

“The whole experience is absolutely seamless: even if you haven’t booked assistance, someone is there at the station to help you. It’s so fantastic and takes the stress out of the day.”

Jan’s own 16-year-old daughter uses a wheelchair, and she continued: “We have been using the train more than ever. It’s so easy. We know we can get on at pretty much any station and go to whichever London terminus we want.”

“It’s transport we know we can use that is step-free all the way and now there’s the Morph step-free art trail to visit as well.”

Student Ryan Horrod, 14, of Ferring, has Muscular Dystrophy and uses a powered wheelchair. Jan said: “Ryan is a rail enthusiast and really keen to do things by himself. He’s always thinking of the future and he’s absolutely confident that he can use the train by himself. With the very friendly staff, he knows he will always be able to access train travel.”

Govia Thameslink Railway Accessibility Lead Carl Martin said: “We want everyone to have the confidence to travel with us, no matter what their disability or need for assistance. That’s why we run sessions like this, to show disabled youngsters they can travel by train with the help of all the assistance the railway has to offer.

“It’s also why we’ve teamed up with the charity Whizz Kidz to promote London’s first step-free art trail. Morph’s Epic Art Adventure is so easily accessible by rail – our Thameslink trains even have level boarding on the platforms in central London.

“Creating a more accessible and inclusive railway benefits everyone. We’re committed to working with everyone to further improve the assistance we provide.”

Partnerships Marketing Manager Jackie Bookal said: “There are lots of step-free attractions, including the SEA LIFE Centre, Shrek Adventures and St Paul’s Cathedral that have great 2-for-1 deals for anyone with a rail ticket. That coupled with our ‘Kids for £2′ ticket and Advance fares means a family could travel to London very cheaply.”