West Midlands Railway to provide travel and help raise organ donor awareness.
West Midlands Railway is offering free train travel between Birmingham New Street and University stations to over 2,500 competitors at this year’s British Transplant Games.
The annual event is taking place from Thursday 2nd until Sunday 5th August across Birmingham. Transplant recipients of all ages will participate in a variety of sports, to celebrate the life-changing impact of organ donation.
Spectators are encouraged to travel to the games by train, with regular services running between the University campus and city centre. On arrival, rail travellers will be welcomed by a team of Journey Makers, armed with giant foam fingers and brightly coloured tabards. These volunteers will provide directions to venues and passenger assistance on the platform.
West Midlands Railway staff will also be taking part in the 5k Donor Run on Saturday 4th August. The run is a unique opportunity for transplant recipients, donor families and other supporters to come together and raise awareness of the Organ Donor Register.
Brenda Lawrence, head of stations for West Midlands Railway said: “It’s great to be able to support the games, as we are committed to making our services accessible and inclusive for all our customers.
“We are also excited to have our Journey Makers on board, who will help improve the experience for those travelling to and from events on our services.”
James Neuberger, Chair of the British Transplant Games Local Organising Committee, a Trustee of Transplant Sport and Consultant Transplant Physician at Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham, is looking forward to the celebrations.
He said: “Thousands of people are expected to arrive in Birmingham across the course of the British Transplant Games weekend and thanks to the generosity of West Midlands Railway, they will be able to travel quickly and effortlessly between venues, meaning they get to enjoy as many events as possible.
“Support from organisations like West Midlands Railway goes a long way to help make sure the weekend goes smoothly and we are hoping that a competitor presence on the trains will not only help people have the best possible experience at the Games, but also help spark conversation with other travellers about organ donation.”
The British Transplant Games aim to celebrate the life-changing effects of transplantation and raise awareness of the huge benefits that organ donation brings to both donor families and recipients, encouraging the public to discuss their wishes with their families and join the Organ Donor Register.
