New community partnership announced between Brighton’s cultural and transport sectors

Travel Smart, Travel Safe programme launched for Year 6 primary school students.

As a dedicated arts and heritage charity established in 2020, Brighton & Hove Museums preserves the city’s iconic buildings, curates world-class exhibitions, and delivers vital community and schools’ programmes.

It has announced the launch of the Travel Smart, Travel Safe programme, a partnership between Brighton & Hove Museums and Brighton & Hove Buses to provide a completely unique educational experience for schools.

This new, free initiative combines an educational workshop to build confidence in bus travel for all Year 6 primary school students. It provides a memorable visit to the iconic Royal Pavilion or Brighton Museum & Art Gallery, offering schools in the Brighton & Hove area an exceptional opportunity to enrich their students’ learning experiences. Brighton & Hove Buses are also generously providing free bus travel from the school to the Travel Hub on North Street, Brighton Museum or the Royal Pavilion and back to the school.

The workshop, designed specifically for young people following feedback from local ambassador teachers, provides crucial guidance for young people on how to travel safely and with confidence by bus across the city. The session includes short films acted and narrated by young people from Downs Junior School along with lively discussions on journey planning, waiting at bus stops, boarding, and travelling by bus.

Year 6 is the time when most young people move to larger schools that may be further away from home and require bus travel. This vital support in building their confidence can really help and lead to more independent and safer travel for other times too such as meeting up with friends in town and attending after school activities.

The trip includes a free educational experience at Brighton Museum or the Royal Pavilion where students will complete educational worksheets as they walk around these cultural institutions to help inspire their curiosity about the city’s rich heritage and collections.

This exciting new partnership between Brighton & Hove Museums and Brighton & Hove Buses and Metrobus exemplifies both organisations’ commitment to education, sustainability and community engagement.

Hedley Swain, CEO of Brighton & Hove Museums, said: “We’re delighted to partner with Brighton & Hove Buses on this innovative programme to support young people at such a critical stage in their development.

“By combining an engaging workshop on travel confidence with the unique educational experiences offered at the Royal Pavilion and Brighton Museum, we’re helping to equip Year 6 students with essential life skills while inspiring their curiosity about the city’s rich heritage. It’s a collaboration that not only fosters independence and safety but also connects our young people more deeply to their community.”

Ed Wills, Managing Director of Brighton & Hove Buses, said: “As a major transport provider in the city we support children, students, parents, and guardians in getting to school, college, and university safely every day. We want to provide young people with excellent skills in travel planning and effective journey management so they can travel safely and with confidence to enjoy a fully connected life.”

To find out more about this programme or other community initiatives you could support as part of your CSR commitment, contact Kate Rooks, Head of Fundraising at Brighton & Hove Museums kate.rooks@rpmt.org.uk

Connected to a local primary school? Help spread the word and signpost them to brightonmuseums.org.uk/schools/school-bookings-andcharges
or call 03000 290900.