Thameslink managers work with Autism Bedfordshire to help young adults gain independence

A group of young Luton and Bedford autistic adults took the train to London last week in an exercise by Thameslink and Autism Bedfordshire to encourage them to travel independently.

Thameslink managers gave a tour of the two stations, explaining how to find the right train, buy tickets and – crucially – seek advice from staff. They also discussed safety on the platform and how to text the transport police on 61016.

From there the group took the train to Blackfriars for the short walk along the Thames to Tate Modern as part of a summer art project Autism Bedfordshire has been running.

Autism Bedfordshire leader Angela Amitrano said: “A big part of what we do with our 18-25-year-olds is travel training to help with their transition from adulthood.

“Some struggle with communication and being in a busy area such as a station where it is very noisy can be quite a stressful experience. This was about helping them gain confidence.

“It’s really important for our members to get out independently. It widens their opportunities for work and socialising – otherwise they’d be stuck in their bedrooms.

“We are lucky enough to have a train service right the way through our county. We even have one group that has organised their own trip to London to Comic Con, a convention that celebrates gaming, anime and pop culture!”

Thameslink Community Engagement Manager Andrew Chillingsworth supported part of the group when they met at Bedford.

Thameslink station manager Joe Healy then joined the train with more young people at his station, Luton.

Joe has helped hundreds of young people gain confidence through these ‘Try A Train’ experiences and has received a British Empire Medal for his work.

Joe said: “It’s so rewarding to help these young people gain the knowledge they need for independent travel. We can make a real difference.”

Trying the train: Station manager Joe Healy (left) and community engagement manager Andrew Chillingsworth (right) escort the group on board the Thameslink service to London Blackfriars

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