A Derby organisation that supports children with early intervention and emotional education has secured a £10,000 grant to help young people overcome their fears of travelling on a train.
Bridge the Gap, in St Mary’s Gate, has received support from East Midlands Railway’s Community Fund to work with up to 20 children and their families.
The new early intervention programme called On Track Together: Building Confidence in Travel, will identify and target children who have a fear of trains and travel, and will provide bespoke sessions to help them feel less overwhelmed at a train station, waiting on the platform and boarding a train.
Bridge the Gap will deliver travel confidence workshops, one-to-one support work and offer online webinars for parents and carers as part of EMR’s Community Fund.
Nikki Webster, clinical director at Bridge the Gap, said the programme will build real-world travel confidence.
She said: “For many young people train travel can feel very overwhelming.
“Loud noises, busy platforms, and unfamiliar routine can increase travel-related anxiety, but we want to increase confidence using East Midlands Railway for everyday journeys.
“Participants will develop practical coping strategies to help them manage their fears and increase independence.
“Our one-to-one support will work with children who struggle to communicate or regulate emotions in busy environments.
“As part of our work, we will plan trips to the train station and thanks to EMR, we will be accompanying our young people on short practice trips.
“At the end of the programme, we want to see a more confident, independent traveller who is able to access opportunities without anxiety limiting their movement or participation.”
Bridge the Gap is an award-winning community interest company, (CIC) and has a Kings Award for Voluntary Service. It has supported thousands of children and their parents since it launched in 2017 and is one of the biggest providers of emotional literacy support in the UK.
Jennifer Wyman, founder and director of Bridge the Gap, says their motto is that every child should feel hope.
She said: “We run support groups, one-to-one sessions, deliver specialist training and run parent webinars to try and break down complex and sensitive topics in a relaxed, engaging and accessible way.
“We are specialists and experts in emotional literacy, anxiety, self-harm and work with children to build authentic emotional resilience and give them the tools to protect their mental health through life’s challenges.
“We also equip professionals with knowledge and confidence to support children effectively and regularly attend schools in Derby and Nottingham.”
Jennifer, who has just been shortlisted as a finalist in the charity champion category of the Best Businesswomen Awards 2026, has worked with children and families for more than 20 years.
She said: “Early intervention needs to be available to every young person who needs it in Derby.
“Emotional health must be a priority for our children and that is why we are delighted to receive this funding from East Midlands Railway.
“As a city, we need to help our children and support them as they understand and navigate their emotions before reaching crisis point.
“Bridge the Gap is a long-term service that helps children know they matter, they are loved and they are not alone.
“This money is so valuable to us, and I know it will bring positive change to the lives of many young people and their families. The children we work with will feel hope – and that’s all we want.”
Kaye Robinson, Community Engagement Manager at East Midlands Railway, said: “Our services are vital in connecting people to education, widening their employment opportunities and leisure. Indeed, connecting communities is at the heart of what we do, but we recognise that train travel can cause real anxiety for some.
“We are delighted to support Bridge the Gap through our Community Fund to help break down those barriers, reduce social isolation and build the confidence young people need to travel with us.”
EMR has its HQ in Derby and is operated by Transport UK. The Community Fund is open to non-profit organisations located within 15 kilometres of an EMR-managed station and aims to empower grassroots organisations and community groups to deliver meaningful projects that enhance wellbeing, inclusion and opportunity across the region.
For more information about Bridge the Gap, visit: https://www.jwbridgethegap.com/.
