The Seaton Tramway are bouncing back from COVID-19 with a new programme of events and outreach centred around the local community and local offers. This not only includes a new programme of events but also opportunities for volunteers and new job roles including two engineering apprenticeships.
The National Lottery Heritage fund has enabled the tramway to create a trial programme of events for all in the local community. This started off with The Story Tram which launched in 2019 and has been popular with parents and toddlers since launching in 2019 and includes a tram ride along with themed stories and songs and then activities at Colyton.
Other events being developed includes a new “Coly Trail” leaflet (developed with students of Colyton Grammar School in collaboration with Colyton Heritage Centre and Seaton Tramway – launching on 5th July), a guided tour of Colyton: “Trains, Trams & Trade” and for the first time on 11th September the tramway will be taking part in Heritage Open Days with a selection of events to give a free peek behind the scenes.
Other planned event developments include the Memory Tram (launching in September) for those living with dementia and their carers, the Young Carers’ Club (a monthly activity for Young Carers aged 6 to 12 which launched in May), Quiet Trams (due to launch in 2022 with an out of hours tram ride for people with hidden disabilities who find busy, noisy environments challenging. And further ahead in 2022, January will see the “Dinosaur Adventure Show” – a week long dinosaur workshop for local schools including realistic walking dinosaurs – while the Seaton Tramway will also be taking over as organiser of the Natural Seaton Festival.
Seaton Tramway is also proud that they are able to expand their team in these uncertain times while also sustaining its entire workforce since the pandemic began. It is registered as a Disability Confident Committed Employer which means they provide a fully inclusive and accessible recruitment process, makes reasonable adjustments as required and ensures employees have appropriate disability awareness.
They have recently, in partnership with Exeter College, recruited two engineering apprentices who are working with the Engineering Manager at Riverside Depot while they are also advertising for a Marketing and Admin Assistant as part of the Government’s Kickstart Scheme, providing funding for job placements for 16 to 24 year olds on Universal Credit.
In addition to these roles there are also a number of new volunteering opportunities to work with the Learning and Activity team to help deliver the activity programme. This team will be delivering a new formal learning programme for schools which includes taught sessions focusing on STEM subjects and local history.
The tramway are also aware of the planned closure of Seaton Jurassic in September and have expressed their interest to EDDC about its future successful operation.