A long-awaited unique train cafe has finally opened at a special needs school.
Kent Online reported that Five Acre Wood in the village of Loose officially declared that the FAW-rient Express had“arrived at the station”.
The website reported that pupils, staff, parents and others who had helped gathered for the ribbon-cutting ceremony of the new train cafe
Pupils, staff and those who helped along the way gathered around for the launch along with a ribbon-cutting ceremony.
Five Acre Wood caters for more than 860 children aged four to 19 who have profound, severe, and complex learning difficulties.
Taken from the school’s acronym, the FAW-rient Express is made out of a former Mark 2 first-class buffet train, which was built by British Rail between 1964 and 1975.
The train’s journey started in July last year when planning permission was first granted by the local authority.
The school then faced the mammoth task of transporting it. The 25-tonne carriage was taken from Great Yarmouth the following month and was lowered into place by three heavy-duty cranes. Now the idea has now become a reality.
Kent Online reported that the train has 24 seats set up inside and members of the public are welcome to have food and drinks which will be prepared and served by the pupils.
The school is currently importing sandwiches and salads from Anchor Catering in Ashford but eventually the school would like to expand the kitchen and allow the children to make and bake items that would be sold.
Backed by Costa Coffee, the innovative addition to the site will provide employment opportunities and catering training from industry professionals. It is set to be the hub of a new hospitality academy and part of the school’s curriculum, which is adapted to suit each child.
Pupils Abbie and Alfie have already enrolled and are learning the ropes to become baristas.
Abbie told Kent Online she already knows some home cooking skills and has completed volunteering work in a cafe outside of school.
She said: “I like serving the drinks to other people and greeting them. I’d like to be a chef when I am older. It’s amazing and a great experience.”
School principal Peggy Murphy said the train will be a space for interaction, collaboration and skill-sharing, with the hope of raising awareness about the capabilities of those with special educational needs.
She said: “Establishing a hospitality training academy for our pupils is not just a visionary idea; it is a transformative initiative that has the potential to revolutionise lives and our community.
“This project is essential, as it will empower our pupils, foster community engagement and inclusivity, and help address the employment disparity faced by individuals with learning difficulties.”
