About us
Every child should be equipped with the essential knowledge to navigate the railway environment safely
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About us
Our Team – Stuart Heaton, our founder and Managing Director, leads our close-knit and welcoming team at Rail Safe Friendly.
Our Vision is rooted in the belief that every child should be equipped with the essential knowledge to navigate the railway environment safely.
Our Mission is to have every school in the UK enrolled on the Rail Safe Friendly programme and fully committed to rail safety by the year 2027.
Core Values
Our Core Values are fundamental to our vision and mission. These principles guide our actions and decisions, shaping the way we interact with our team, our partners and the schools and communities we serve.
Safety
Safety stands as our fundamental value, deeply integrated into our operations, training, and overall strategy.
Collaboration & Engagement
Collaboration and engagement with our employees, partners, and schools are essential values that help us connect with a wide array of parents, teachers, schools, and communities, ensuring their safety on railways.
Effective Communication
Effective communication, training and education are essential values that guarantee the delivery of our high-quality rail safety messages and content.
Our story so far
Our journey into rail safety messaging began working with Network Rail through our Learn Live channel. The primary aim was to raise awareness about the hazards associated with railways, particularly the issue of trespassing. Schools located near railway lines that had experienced a significant number of trespassing incidents were targeted, hoping to educate students about the potential dangers they faced in these areas.
The tragic story of 11-year-old Harrison Ballantyne profoundly impacted our perspective on rail safety. Harrison lost his life after being electrocuted by overhead power lines while attempting to retrieve a football in a rail freight depot. This heart breaking incident, which involved a staggering 25,000 volts, rendered his friends and paramedics unable to assist him, leading to his untimely death at the scene. It occurred in a seemingly safe suburban area, where the risks associated with overhead electricity were not fully understood, highlighting the urgent need for better awareness.
In response to this tragedy, Harrison’s mother, Liz Ballantyne, delivered a poignant message:
“Every child deserves the knowledge to be safe.”
Inspired by her words, we took significant steps in 2023 to launch the Rail Safe Friendly programme, which builds upon our work with Network Rail. Our goal is to extend the reach of this campaign to an even broader audience of young people. The programme is designed to provide children with crucial rail safety education, helping them recognise potential hazards in their surroundings and empowering them to make choices that could ultimately protect their lives.
The success of the Rail Safe Friendly Programme hinges on the collaboration and support of the rail industry. We are actively seeking partnerships with rail companies willing to contribute financially at various levels. This support is vital for us to expand our outreach to more schools, allowing us to fulfill our ambitious vision of enrolling every school on the Rail Safe Friendly Programme by the year 2027.
By fostering these partnerships, we aim to create a comprehensive network of safety education that not only informs children but also engages communities in the importance of rail safety. Together, we can cultivate a culture of awareness and responsibility among young people, ensuring they are well-equipped to navigate their environments safely. The Rail Safe Friendly programme represents a significant step forward in our commitment to safeguarding the next generation.
Schools across the UK are engaged with the Rail Safe Friendly Programme
UK schools remain to be reached by the Rail Safe Friendly Programme
