Avanti West Coast wins award for campaign highlighting crisis of runaway children
- Apr 30
- 3 min read
Updated: 1 day ago
Avanti West Coast's campaign with Railway Children recognised at PRmoment Awards for raising awareness of runaways on rail network.
Campaign delivered in partnership with UK children’s charity, Railway Children, raised awareness of vulnerable young people at risk on rail network
‘Your Presence Is Presents Enough’ named Leisure and Travel Marketing Communications Campaign of the Year at PRmoment Awards 2026
Initiative has given more people confidence to spot runaways and report concerns
An Avanti West Coast campaign delivered in partnership with UK charity, Railway Children, has won a PRmoment Award for raising awareness of vulnerable young people on the rail network.
Titled ‘Your Presence Is Presents Enough’, the campaign which centred around a five-minute short film to help passengers spot the signs of a runaway child, was named ‘Leisure and Travel Marketing Communications Campaign of the Year’ at PRmoment Awards 2026.
The annual awards celebrate excellence, as well as recognise and reward outstanding campaigns and exceptional talent in the UK PR and Communications sector.
Judges were “very impressed” at the lengths taken to “make sure the storytelling was authentic”. They said Your Presence Is Presents Enough “really stood out.”
Working with creative PR and communications agency, Mischief, the intercity operator developed the initiative to highlight the role everyone can play to protect vulnerable children – especially at Christmas.
A powerful film, designed to encourage passengers to take notice of their surroundings premiered on Avanti West Coast’s YouTube channel ahead of the festive travel period in December 2025. It was purposely five minutes in length to reflect the rate at which a child runs away in the UK.
The film was written and directed by BAFTA breakthrough writer and director, Daisy-May Hudson, who worked with youth ambassadors from Railway Children to bring the voices of lived experience, so it was rooted in real stories.
To strengthen public awareness, announcements voiced by the film’s child actress were played at stations across the West Coast Main Line, sharing its call to action advising what to do and who to contact.
Passengers were also reminded of the signs to look out for - with signage on benches at Crewe, as well as posters displayed onboard trains and at stations across the route.
To reach a wider audience, Avanti West Coast used social media and out of home advertising to raise awareness of how to identify a child at risk on the rail network.
Following the four-week campaign, 91 percent of passengers said they are now more likely to look up and recognise the signs of a vulnerable young person. While 83 percent are more likely to report a child at risk*.
Prior to the initiative, nearly four in five adults (78 percent) admitted they couldn’t confidently spot a runaway child.
Vicki Hamilton, Head of Social Content at Avanti West, said: “We’re proud our safeguarding campaign has been recognised by the PR industry for its authenticity and impact.
“The rail network can be an easy place for children to go unnoticed, particularly during the festive period when more people travel. Together with Railway Children and Mischief we set out to create something powerful that would genuinely make a difference. By highlighting how small actions can change a young person’s life, the initiative helped give people travelling on our route the confidence to spot vulnerable children and report their concerns.”
Chloe August, Director at Mischief, said: “We are incredibly proud of this campaign and the results it has achieved in raising awareness of vulnerable young people who use the rail network. It has been a true joint effort between Avanti West Coast, Railway Children and Mischief and the campaign’s success is a testament to it being recognised by the wider PR industry.”
Suzi Lawrence, Head of Marketing and Communications at Railway Children, said: “This campaign has been vital in raising awareness of vulnerable children across the rail network, both within the rail community and among the wider public. At Railway Children, we support vulnerable young people referred to us by British Transport Police and we rely on the rail community to help us do this effectively. By understanding how to recognise the signs of vulnerability and knowing how to report concerns to British Transport Police by texting 61016, rail staff and passengers alike can play a crucial role in ensuring young people receive the support they need. We are extremely grateful to Avanti West Coast and Mischief for their support and collaboration in making this campaign possible.”
Comments