West Midlands Railway set to inspire passengers to take White Ribbon pledge

Hundreds of passengers travelling with West Midlands Railway (WMR) are expected to join a national pledge to end violence against women and girls during a fortnight of action.

The operator will be inviting passengers to speak up about gender inequality as part of White Ribbon Day (25 Nov) and the United Nations’ 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence (25 Nov – 10 Dec).

WMR representatives will be popping up at stations across its network alongside local volunteers and Community Rail Partnerships to raise awareness of White Ribbon, the UK’s leading charity lobbying for an end to violence against women and girls.

Passengers visiting Wylde Green, Hereford, Wolverhampton and Worcester Shrub Hill will be encouraged to make the White Ribbon promise - a personal commitment to never use, excuse or remain silent about men’s violence against women and girls.

In Wolverhampton, passengers will be invited to spin a wheel featuring conversation starters designed to get people talking about allyship and their role in preventing gender-based violence. The activity will run in partnership with Rethink Mental Illness, the charity behind the station’s safeguarding hub which offers support to people in crisis.

The company’s sister brand, London Northwestern Railway, will also be hosting events in the West Midlands across Stone, Tamworth, Marston Green and Canley.

Matthew Bradley, head of stations at WMR, said: “As the company’s White Ribbon lead, I am passionate about advocating for an end to violence against women and ensuring our female passengers feel safe travelling by train.

“We’ve taken part in White Ribbon Day for multiple years, but this year we’re going one step further by expanding our initiative and hosting awareness raising events throughout the UN’s 16 Days of Activism. We hope that by encouraging our customers to open up about their role as allies, we can help to create a safer railway for everyone.”

Lynne Elliot, chief executive at White Ribbon UK, said: "WMR’s support for White Ribbon UK demonstrates a willingness to take action to ensure everyone feels safe when travelling, through their White Ribbon Accreditation and the activities they are hosting across their stations to raise awareness for White Ribbon Day.”

White Ribbon UK is WMR’s charity partner of the year, with over £12,000 raised for the charity since March.

The train operator, which has been accredited by White Ribbon since 2024, will also be fundraising internally across its head office and depots.

To raise awareness throughout the year, murals with White Ribbon messaging are on display at five railway stations: Tile Hill, Adderley Park, Hampton-in-Arden, Marston Green and Stechford.

To find out more, visit White Ribbon UK.