Avanti West Coast highlights crisis of runaway children with powerful Christmas film

• As one child runs away every five minutes, Avanti West Coast partners with Railway Children to raise awareness of vulnerable young people on rail network at Christmas

• Short film created by BAFTA breakthrough writer and director, Daisy-May Hudson, highlights importance of looking up to spot a runaway child who may need help

• Campaign comes as new research reveals more than one in three adults (34%) are distracted while making rail journeys over festive period

Avanti West Coast has partnered with Railway Children to release a Christmas film to raise awareness of vulnerable young people at risk on the rail network this festive season.

Written and directed by BAFTA breakthrough writer and director, Daisy-May Hudson, the powerful film, Your Presence Is Presents Enough, aims to encourage passengers to take notice of their surroundings this Christmas and help them to spot the signs of a runaway child.

Premiering on Avanti West Coast’s YouTube channel, the short film draws upon Daisy-May’s lived experience of homelessness and is purposely five minutes in length to reflect the rate at which a child runs away in the UK.

It comes as new research shows more than one in three adults (34%) admit being more distracted at this time of year, and nearly four in five Brits (78%) couldn’t confidently spot a runaway, leaving many vulnerable young people at risk on the UK’s railways.

With one child running away every five minutes and many using public transport to do this, the train operator is on a mission to get people to look up during their journey to identify a runaway who may need help.

Your Presence Is Presents Enough reveals the hidden realities faced by vulnerable children, using heartfelt storytelling to challenge perceptions. The film guides viewers on the signs to look out for and what to do by drawing attention to Railway Children’s AT RISK acronym (Attitude, Time of day, Relationship, Instinct, Safety, Keeping a low profile), which outlines the signs to identify a vulnerable child on the transport network.

Daisy-May’s journey to film-making was unconventional after making a feature documentary about her homelessness experience called Half Way. Her trauma-informed approach coupled with using the voices of lived experience has brought a powerful, emotive tenderness to the short film.

Daisy-May worked with youth ambassadors from Railway Children, to create Your Presence Is Presents Enough so that it is rooted in real stories like her recent feature film Lollipop.

To strengthen public awareness, announcements featuring the film’s call to action, explaining what to do and who to contact, are being played at stations across the West Coast Main Line throughout the festive period.

Passengers travelling on the West Coast this Christmas will also be reminded of the signs to look out for – with signage installed on benches at Crewe and Stockport, as well as advertising displayed at railway stations across the route.

Research shows that over half of Brits (58%) admit they aren’t certain what to do if they suspect a child had run away. Alarmingly, over a third (38%) wouldn’t think twice about a child traveling alone, and a fifth (20%) of adults say they would never check on a child wearing a school uniform outside school hours.

With a third of adults (33%) saying they travel by train more over the festive season, the timing of the film’s release was crucial to highlight vulnerable children who may be in danger on the rail network this Christmas. Less than one in five people (19%) correctly know most children use the UK rail network to run away.

Nearly half of adults admit they are busy browsing for Christmas presents (49%) or daydreaming (50%) during their journey at this time of year. A quarter (26%) are even distracted by Christmas parties and events. These distractions, combined with crowded stations, make it even harder for adults to spot vulnerable children who may be at risk of running away*.

Natalie Richbell-Beer, Safeguarding and Crime Manager at Avanti West Coast, said: “We’re proud to partner with Railway Children to raise awareness about this important issue. Everyone has a role to play in protecting vulnerable children – especially at Christmas when the railway is at its busiest, which is why we’re asking people to look up during their journey. Our film aims to give those travelling by rail the confidence to spot the signs and report concerns, so we can help keep even more young people safe.”

Rob Capener, Chief Executive at Railway Children, said: “Children can be at risk on the UK transport network for a variety of reasons, so knowing what to look out for is essential. We’re proud to work with Avanti West Coast to raise awareness of how the public can help. If a child appears at risk please tell station staff or text British Transport Police on 61016. Your vigilance could help keep a vulnerable child safe.”

Daisy-May Hudson said: “I am very proud of this film and reminding people what’s important this Christmas - human connection and looking out for one another. It has been a joy creating this with the lived experience Ambassadors to centre what is the most important part of their story - and using that to create something which I hope really strikes a chord with people at this time. I find there is great power in film to deeply see people- and I hope this film captures what it can sometimes feel like this season - but that the hope is always found in how we can relate to one another and how we can make each other feel.”

Now more than ever, it is essential adults remain alert on their travels. Looking up could change a vulnerable child's journey. If a child seems AT RISK (Attitude, Time of Day, Relationship, Instinct, Safety, Keeping a low profile), tell staff or text British Transport Police on 61016.

To watch the film, please click below:

*Research carried out by Research Without Barriers – RWB between 27th November 2025 and 1st December 2025, with a sample of 2,015 UK adults.