Unipart has partnered with Railway Children, a charity dedicated to protecting children alone and at risk on the streets and transport networks in the UK, India, and Tanzania. 

The charity recently established a presence at Unipart’s Crewe site, where it will collaborate with Unipart to raise awareness of its life-saving work across the rail community.

Each year, approximately 11,000 vulnerable young people are reported to British Transport Police on the rail network. These children are often fleeing abuse, neglect, family conflict, or struggling with mental health issues. A growing number are also victims of criminal exploitation, including coercion into drug transport for county lines gangs.

Railway Children steps in where statutory services are stretched, providing a vital safety net. Their work focuses on identifying, engaging, and supporting these young people, empowering them to make positive changes, strengthening child safeguarding across the rail network, and building supportive communities. 

In just the last year, Railway Children have trained 4,295 British Transport Police and rail staff to identify vulnerable children, reached and protected 3,308 children in India, and supported 1,665 young people in Tanzania with a move away from the streets.

The current cost of living crisis, coupled with record mental health referrals and the lingering effects of the pandemic, is increasing the number of children in crisis, making the charity’s work more critical than ever.

Dr David McGorman, Unipart Managing Director of Rail & Technology, said: “Given Unipart’s long-standing heritage in the rail sector, we are incredibly proud to support Railway Children and welcome them to our Crewe site. This is a tremendous charity fighting for young people who are desperate and without support. Their work directly addresses the vulnerabilities facing young people on our transport networks.

“By providing a home for their team, we are ensuring we play our part in strengthening child safeguarding and helping to protect the next generation from exploitation and risk. We very much look forward to collaborating closely with them to raise awareness and support for their life-saving work across the rail community.”

Rob Capener, Group Chief Executive, Railway Children, said: “We are delighted to now be based at the Unipart offices in Crewe and are incredibly grateful for the warm welcome and support. This collaboration represents an important step in strengthening our ties with the rail industry, which is vital to our mission of protecting vulnerable young people found on the rail network. Working together opens up new opportunities to share knowledge, collaborate, and make a real difference for those who need us most.”

Scott Henderson, General Manager at Unipart’s Crewe site, added: “It was my pleasure to work with the Railway Children team to develop accommodation that met their needs within the footprint of our Crewe site. This process opened my eyes to the importance of the work they undertake, and I’m delighted this has developed into a partnership to support the work of such a crucial cause.”

Learn more about the Railway Children here.