Avanti West Coast has won two Creative Moment Awards for a campaign designed to help rail passengers identify and respond to vulnerable young people.
The ‘Your Presence is Presents Enough’ campaign was named Creative Auto/Transport Campaign of the Year and Creative Film of the Year at the 2026 awards.
Avanti delivered the campaign with children’s charity Railway Children and creative PR and communications agency Mischief. Its centrepiece was a five-minute film, written and directed by BAFTA breakthrough writer and director Daisy-May Hudson, which encouraged passengers to be more alert to the signs of a runaway child.
Campaign results
The film premiered on Avanti West Coast’s YouTube channel in December 2025. Its five-minute running time was intended to reflect the rate at which a child runs away in the UK, according to the campaign organisers.
Railway Children youth ambassadors contributed lived-experience perspectives to the production. During the festive travel period, announcements voiced by the film’s child actor were played at stations across the West Coast Main Line, alongside guidance on what passengers should do and who they should contact.
The campaign was also promoted through bench signage at Crewe and Stockport, posters on trains and at stations, social media and out-of-home advertising.
A Savanta survey of 550 UK adults, carried out between January and February 2026 among people shown the campaign, found that 91% said they were more likely to recognise the signs of a vulnerable young person. A further 83% said they were more likely to report a child at risk. Before the campaign, 78% said they could not confidently spot a runaway child.
Creative Moment judges described the campaign as “very striking with brilliant assets and results”. They said the film kept audiences “engaged”, while its positive ending created “a sense of hope” and reinforced the message in a memorable way.
Industry response
Vicki Hamilton, social media marketing campaigns consultant at Avanti West Coast, said the campaign was intended to help passengers recognise vulnerable children and feel confident taking action.
“The festive period is one of the busiest times on the railway, but it can also be a time when people are distracted. This means vulnerable children go unnoticed, so it’s vital passengers know the signs to look out for and how they can help keep young people safe,” she said.
Chloe August, director at Mischief, said the campaign had been a joint effort between Avanti, Railway Children and the agency, adding that its recognition by the creative industry reflected the partnership’s work.
Suzi Lawrence, head of marketing and communications at Railway Children, said vulnerable children and young people who are frightened, alone or at risk pass through the rail network every year. She said using railway channels to deliver the message had helped raise awareness and give passengers confidence to act when they had concerns.