Southeastern delivers 200 Toys to Kent Children in Railway 200 Christmas celebration
- Festive enterTRAINment to Canterbury combined charitable giving with family fun as railway industry marks bicentenary year
- Special Christmas service also provided chance to play games on board UK’s fastest train service
Southeastern is offering great value advance fares and adding a further 29 services per week from 14 December
Southeastern Railway transformed its 09:36 St Pancras to Canterbury West service today into a festive celebration, delivering 200 toys to children supported by Kent-based charity Demelza as part of Railway 200 celebrations.
In partnership with leading UK toy companies Mood Bears, Hornby and Asmodee, and working with toyologist Peter Jenkinson, the special journey brought Christmas cheer to families and customers travelling and many more across the Canterbury area.
All toys were donated to Demelza, which operates three hospice centres supporting children with serious illnesses and their families.
The hour-long journey showcased the convenience of rail travel to Kent's popular Christmas market whilst offering passengers a uniquely festive experience, including:
- Board games from Asmodee and trains from Hornby
- Festive storytelling from a Dickensian performer
- A special appearance by a six-foot Mood Bear mascot called ‘Hope’
On arrival at Canterbury West, guests explored the renowned Canterbury Christmas Market and enjoyed a self-guided city tour with Mystery Guides; Canterbury's interactive treasure hunt experience that combines clue-solving with historical discovery.
Demelza’s Deputy CEO, Hayley Richardson, said:
“We’re so grateful to Southeastern for the support they have shown Demelza this Christmas. The donation of 200 toys is incredibly generous and will bring joy to so many over the festive period.”
Sam Cornelius, On-Board Depot Manager, Southeastern, said:
"It's been wonderful to be involved in such a special day. Seeing the joy on our passengers' faces during the journey and knowing that we're delivering 200 toys to children at Demelza makes this really memorable.
“Supporting a hospice in the heart of the communities we serve is what the festive season is all about."
Advance tickets from St Pancras International to Canterbury West are available from as little as £16.20.
The festive celebration comes ahead of Southeastern introducing an extra 29 high-speed St Pancras to Faversham services per week from Sunday 14th December.
These will run on weekday evenings departing from St Pancras to provide a half-hourly frequency. There will also be more trains between St Pancras and Faversham on Saturdays at the busiest times of the day.