Children from across Central Southend enjoyed a day out at Silver Birch Farm animal sanctuary in Eastwood, thanks to a partnership between Arriva and local youth charity Turning Tides.
The trip saw 40 children from Turning Tides’ youth clubs travel to the farm for a day of animal encounters and outdoor activities, made possible by Arriva’s support in transporting the group.
Turning Tides Southend
Download
Turning Tides, a project of Southend Association of Voluntary Services (SAVS), provides free weekly youth club activities for children aged 8 to 15 in Central Southend, in areas which statistically face significant social and economic challenges.
For many children, the clubs offer a safe, welcoming space to have fun, make friends, learn new skills and build confidence, while encouraging pride in their local community.
The partnership with Arriva has been key to unlocking a new experience for the young people Turning Tides works with, as trips like this may not otherwise be possible due to the cost of transporting large groups of children.
The visit comes ahead of the government’s Kids Go Free scheme, which runs throughout August and offers free bus travel for children aged 5 to 15 across England. Turning Tides plans to make the most of the scheme with its groups over the summer holidays.
The trip was also supported by Southend City Council’s Holiday Activity and Food (HAF) programme, which funds Turning Tides and a number of other local partners to deliver free activities for children who would normally be eligible for benefits-related free school meals.
Michael Jennings, Arriva South commercial director, said: “We were delighted to help Turning Tides give local children a fantastic day out.
“Supporting projects like this is exactly why partnerships such as this one matter so much to us. Arriva is part of the community it serves and we’re happy to help enable experiences for children that might not otherwise be possible.
“With free child bus travel running throughout August too, we hope even more young people can make the most of the summer.”
