Community
Along with being a good employer and transport provider, we want to be a good neighbour and make a positive contribution to the communities we serve. We support a range of local initiatives and community projects, providing both financial and in-kind support.
Many of the initiatives we support are focused on young people, offering them opportunities for personal development and an alternative to hanging around street corners or railway stations. We aim to help address some of the key issues which adversely affect our stations and our passengers, such as homelessness, anti-social behaviour, unemployment and social exclusion.
To read more about the different initiatives, we support please use the links below:
Give as you earn – South West Trains runs an ongoing scheme allowing employees to make donations to charity direct from their salary, as well as co-ordinating one-off contributions for specific appeals.
Homelessness – We have contributed to several homeless shelters on our network, providing funds for everything from an industrial toaster to the creation of a new female dormitory. We are also regular supporters of the Railway Children – a charity which specifically helps runaway youngsters who gravitate to railway stations all over the world.
Managing Anti-social Behaviour and Trespass– Together with infrastructure provider Network Rail, South West Trains is a key participant in the Wessex Area Crime Group which works to reduce incidents of trespass and vandalism on our railway. We jointly visit schools and hold junior citizen events throughout our network to get across the railway safety message to thousands of children per year in higher risk areas. We also employ Rail Community Officers who work side-by-side with the British Transport Police (BTP) in providing a high profile uniformed presence on our stations and trains.
Second Chance – South West Trains has previously supported the Comeback scheme which helped the rehabilitation of ex-offenders. We worked with Winchester Prison to educate ex-offenders about what to expect in the workplace and help prepare them for the recruitment process. We have also worked with Second Chance to help reduce the incidence of re-offending through the provision of employment opportunities.
Partnerships – We often work with local authorities and other interested parties to help maximise the investment available for improvements to our network. Such partnerships have led to successful refurbishments of stations such as Southampton, Winchester, Basingstoke and Brentford and even resulted in the reopening of Chandler’s Ford station. Other partnership schemes have led to improved cycle storage facilities, additional CCTV and lighting and the creation of better-designed forecourts with integrated transport links.
Dunk the Junk Guildford Heat – South West Trains has joined with the prestigious Guildford Heat basketball team to deliver a healthy lifestyle schools programme aimed at youngsters aged from 11-16. The programme, run through secondary schools in Surrey, covers topics such as nutrition, fitness, substance abuse and basketball. A roadshow at each school, followed by four follow-up coaching sessions and then a central venue tournament. As well as encouraging youngsters to get healthy and participate in sport, the programme will help tackle some of the issues which cause much of the anti-social behaviour by young people seen on our network.
Eastleigh Street Sport sponsorship – This community-based project gives young people aged eight to 16 the opportunity to take part in a variety of sports, all within walking distance of their home, as an alternative to getting drawn into anti-social behaviour.
Carroll Youth Centre – This voluntary organisation runs a centre for young people four evenings per week. It offers a café facility and also has an internet café which provides web access to the local community during the day and to the youth club in the evenings. South West Trains has supported the initiative for several years, helping to fund youth workers, and our frontline employees have also visited the centre to talk about the dangers of playing near railway lines.
Junior Schools Football Challenge – The JSFC offers school children, aged five to 10 years-old and living in the areas of Battersea and Wandsworth in South London, the opportunity to take part in organised football sessions and inter-school tournaments at no cost. The scheme came to fruition thanks to a donation from South West Trains, and the dedication and commitment of Waterloo Guards Manager Mick Phillips and Guard Bill Evans. Operating every Saturday morning out of Battersea Youth Centre, it offers high standards of coaching and care.
Children’s play areas – As part of our message to youngsters not to play on the railway, South West Trains has supported two community initiatives to create safe play areas. The first scheme was at Ockford Ridge, which lies to the west of Godalming Station and is one of the most disadvantaged areas in Surrey. The project helped create a new play ground for one to 14 year-olds and a multi-purpose games area for youngsters up to the age of 19. The second scheme involved a relatively deprived housing estate in Farnham called The Chantrys. South West Trains' donation towards a partnership between the residents’ association and Waverley Borough Council created a multi-use games area for children to play sports such as hockey, basketball and football.
Fairbridge Project – This vital project helps youngsters in 14 of the most disadvantaged areas of the UK develop the confidence, motivation and skills they need to get more out of life and get back on track. Our sponsorship has helped a number of young people go through the programme, helping address social problems in areas that are at the heart of South West Trains’ network.
Hampshire Local Area Agreement – South West Trains has always been involved in the Hampshire Community Strategy in partnership with Hampshire County Council and other local bodies. The Hampshire Local Area Agreement turns strategy into reality – with eight key priorities to make life in the county better – with direct help (both funding and enabling support) from central government. South West Trains’ areas of interest include accessibility, safety and health.
Supporting staff in the community – we are keen to encourage its employees to help out in the community. Often this takes the form of making financial contributions towards charity fund-raising initiatives, as well as longer-term schemes
Graffiti removal – graffiti looks unsightly and can make people feel less safe. That's why we take the removal of graffiti, including offensive words or images, very seriously. We have special teams which clear graffiti from stations and trains, and Network Rail takes steps to address the problem of graffiti on bridges and tracksides. We work closely with the British Transport Police to bring prosecutions against graffiti vandals and also use anti-graffiti paint where possible as a further deterrent.
Naomi House Hospice – Naomi House is a children's hospice near Winchester, established in 1997 to provide respite care for life-limited children and their families. South West Trains has helped raise money for the charity through a train nameplate auction and various employee fundraisers.