2002

Recognising a need for youth work in Didcot, Churches Together in Didcot and District established TRAIN to support young people in the area. At this time, TRAIN was a detached youth work organisation, primarily engaging young people on the streets.

2008

In 2008, TRAIN expanded and moved to a permanent location on the Broadway. With a strong youth work team and a permanent location, the charity was able to reach more young people and build strong links with the community. Our services expanded to include a football project, school-based work, mentoring and a programme for ex-young offenders.

2016

2016 was a pivotal year for TRAIN with the first generation of staff and trustees moving on, and a new generation coming forward. TRAIN’s work adapted and expanded to meeting the changing needs of young people in the context of large-scale cuts to state provision. In 2018, TRAIN received the Community Engagement Award from Didcot First. Our excellent reputation within the community continues to this day.

2019

In 2019, we were informed by South Oxfordshire District Council that the building we were operating in was no longer fit for purpose. After being established there for 11 years, this came as a great disappointment. However, thanks for Didcot Methodist Church generously offering for us to use their space, we were able to resume our services.  In 2020, we moved our services online, supporting young people through an unprecedented challenge: the covid-19 pandemic. When policies permitted, we got back on the streets delivering detached youth work.

2022

In 2022 we moved to a new permanent location in the centre of town. We have strategically located ourselves here to make it easy for young people to find us. At our new base, we established the first weekly LGBTQ+ youth group, SHOUT! We are proud to support LGBTQ+ young people in Didcot and Wallingford, believing that every young person has the right to be heard and included.

Today

Our team and services continue to expand to meet a growing need and a growing town population. We now employ seven staff, including our first CEO, Ben Drabble. 2024 also marks the beginning of TRAIN’s work in Wallingford, where we have secured a town centre location with the support of the town council. TRAIN continues to rely heavily on the support of the community to meet the needs of young people – get involved today by volunteering or donating!