East Coast has announced that it will adopt the Railway Children as its corporate charity of choice.

The news comes shortly after East Coast took part in the international children’s charity’s ‘Go M.A.D.’ (Make a Difference) fundraising day on 9 March, when directors and senior managers worked on-board trains to raise £13,320.22.

The team went ‘back to the floor’, to join crews on-board train services between London and Scotland to staff buffet counters and refreshment trolleys, serve complimentary food and drinks in First Class, and sell a specially created Carrot and Cranberry Cake to passengers.

In addition, the team helped raise money on the day through collection buckets where customer made donations to the charity, which rescues homeless children on the streets of Britain and around the world.

East Coast Managing Director Karen Boswell said: “We’re delighted to have named the Railway Children as our chosen charity following the great fun we had raising money by taking part in its Go Mad fundraising day.

“It is testament to the generosity of our customers that we were able to raise such a fantastic sum in just one day. The money will be used to help homeless children in the UK and around the world.

“East Coast is proud to be working with the Railway Children and we look forward to helping it raise lots of money and awareness of the fantastic things it is doing to improve the lives of children in the UK and abroad.”

The Railway Children charity was set up in 1993 when David Maidment, a senior rail manager at the time, saw for himself the plight of street children outside a railway terminal in India. He returned to Britain and found no charity was intervening early enough to save youngsters from poverty and abuse on the streets.

Railway Children Chief Executive Terina Keene said: “It’s a worrying fact that here in the UK a child runs away from home every five minutes, with around 20% of these children under 12 years of age.  We are thrilled to be selected by East Coast Trains as their chosen charity and we look forward to working together in creating a safer future for children alone and at risk on the streets.”

Railway Children has projects in the UK, India and East Africa, based on a three-step approach to securing long-term positive change – meeting the needs of children, changing perceptions, and holding governments responsible.

Donations as small as £5 could provide a child with 3 good meals a day for 12 days in India and for just £10 will provide clothing and toiletries for a runaway child in a refuge centre.