Charity which supports severely bullied children from Peterborough given year's free travel with train operator

A charity which supports eight severely bullied children from Peterborough has been given a year's free travel with a train operator.
Red Balloon Fundraising Manager Karen Schmiady, GTR Corporate Social Responsibility Manager Andy Harrowell, Red Balloon Founder and President Dr Carrie Herbert and Red Balloon Chairman of Trustees Mike FranklRed Balloon Fundraising Manager Karen Schmiady, GTR Corporate Social Responsibility Manager Andy Harrowell, Red Balloon Founder and President Dr Carrie Herbert and Red Balloon Chairman of Trustees Mike Frankl
Red Balloon Fundraising Manager Karen Schmiady, GTR Corporate Social Responsibility Manager Andy Harrowell, Red Balloon Founder and President Dr Carrie Herbert and Red Balloon Chairman of Trustees Mike Frankl

Great Northern has awarded the passes to Red Balloon, a Cambridge charity which supports and educates children and youngsters who have been bullied to such a degree they cannot stay at school.

Senior staff of Red Balloon have been given five named passes to travel anytime on Great Northern into London. In addition, staff and students can request free travel passes when they need to travel on the Great Northern network to attend meetings or go on residential trips or other educational outings.

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The charity’s founder and president Dr Carrie Herbert said: “People have no idea how amazing these tickets are. The passes not only save us valuable money that we use to support our students instead, but give me complete flexibility at the drop of a hat to go anytime, peak or off-peak, to London, Westminster, to meet with politicians and persuade them to take seriously the needs of bullied people forced out of school.

“A lot of our generous donors also live in London.”

Great Northern is operated by Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR).

GTR’s corporate social responsibility manager Andy Harrowell said: “We’re proud to continue our long association with Red Balloon by providing this free travel.

“We know it makes a real difference both financially and to the charity’s efforts to influence politicians of the very real need of children and youngsters bullied or traumatised to such a degree that they can no longer continue in regular education.”