Children who have escaped from the war in Ukraine and are currently living in Norfolk have been given a pre-Christmas treat with a with a special trip on the Mid Norfolk Railway‘s Polar Express.

The Mid Norfolk Railway is a leading railway charity, and takes its place in the local community seriously. As a gesture of support for the children, the railway’s Trust Council decided they wanted to do something for the children and their families who are living in Norfolk many miles from Ukraine as a result of the ongoing conflict in their country.

In conjunction with the Ukraine Centre in Dereham, the railway laid on a special trip on the Polar Express 145 Ukraine refugees and the families who are hosting them in Dereham and the surrounding villages in Norfolk.

Regular Polar Express trains operate on Wednesdays to Sundays until 23 December, with trains departing at 5 pm and 7 pm on Wednesday, Thursdays, and Fridays, and 2. 45 om, 4,245 pm, and 6.45 pm on Saturdays and Sundays. However many of the trains are already sold out, and there are only a few seats remaining on the rest. Full details can be found here.

The Mid Norfolk Railway is already planning next year’s programme of events, and an outline detail of these is on the railway’s website at https://www.midnorfolkrailway.co.uk/events.

Graham Watts, the Chairman of the Railway said: “The War in Ukraine is in the news still on a regular basis and it is now two years since this conflict began, there is little we can do, however what we can do is hopefully bring some fun and joy at this time of time of the year to these families that find themselves living here in Norfolk not through choice”.