On Friday, 12 April, representatives from ScotRail, Network Rail Scotland, and the charity Age Scotland, gathered at Edinburgh Waverley station to launch a new partnership that has been established between the organisations.

The partnership was confirmed after staff from Scotland’s Railway, with 7,500 employees employed by ScotRail and Network Rail Scotland, selected it as their new nominated charity.

Age Scotland, Scotland’s national charity for people over 50, aims to tackle loneliness and to connect and empower older people throughout Scotland by improving their lives and making the most of their later life.

Staff from Scotland’s Railway were asked to submit their nominations for which charity they should support for the next three years, and Age Scotland was revealed as Scotland’s Railway choice.

The charity will benefit from events and activities supported by Scotland’s Railway aimed at raising money and awareness for the charity.

Among the activities that ScotRail and Network Rail Scotland staff will take part in are fundraising events, payroll giving, and sponsored challenges

Age Scotland is also set to benefit from a new option in ScotRail’s delay-repay scheme that allows customers to donate their repayment to the charity.

Scotland’s Railway will also provide further support for the charity by running awareness-raising activities and displaying promotional information on trains and in stations.

In recent months, ScotRail has also supported the Samaritans charity, and funded new life-saving equipment for schools.

We’re delighted to be able to support Age Scotland as our new charity partner.  

With more than 7,500 staff working within Scotland’s Railway, our colleagues will be fully engaged in raising as much as we can, organising fundraising events, and shining a spotlight on the vital work Age Scotland do for our older people.  

We recognise the importance of Age Scotland in promoting a better quality of life for Scotland’s older people, and we are really proud that our staff and customers will have the opportunity over the next three years to help support them.

Joanne Maguire, ScotRail Chief Operating Officer

Scotland’s Railway provides a vital public service connecting communities across the country.  

Age Scotland does tremendous work supporting the nation’s older people, and tackling the loneliness some older people can experience, keeping them connected too.  

Colleagues across Scotland’s Railway are looking forward to supporting Age Scotland over the next three years and contributing to the charity’s vital work.

Liam Sumpter, Managing Director of Network Rail Scotland

We are thrilled to be chosen as the Scotland’s Railway charity partner and look forward to an exciting three years working closely together. 

This is a wonderful opportunity to raise awareness of the work we do to support older people across Scotland. 

With the support of Scotland’s Railway and the thousands of staff across the network, we can raise vital funds to tackle loneliness and isolation among older people, help older people engage with our services, and live well in later life

Katherine Crawford, Age Scotland Chief Executive