Luton Town are delighted to confirm that the club will be continuing partnership with Thameslink for a 17th season.

As part of the ongoing partnership, Thameslink provide complimentary train passes for the Luton Town Academy players, which enable the young people to travel, free of charge, to and from The Brache Training Ground.

The train passes come at immense value, with some academy players commuting from places outside of Bedfordshire and London. Thameslink has now provided 344 season-long passes to the Hatters’ 16 to 18-year-old apprentices since the partnership began, allowing free travel to their places of study and training. With the support from the train company to provide the travel passes, the Luton Town Academy players are able to further achieve their sporting and academic goals.

To celebrate the continued partnership, the Luton Town Academy U18 team volunteered at Luton Airport Parkway station on 30 October, where they took part in various tasks, such as:

• Litter picking

• Station announcing

• Bulb planting

• Luggage handling

All of the above was carried out to further the customers experience at Luton Airport Parkway Station.

Chris Bell, Luton Town Commercial Director, commented: “It’s great to see this amazing partnership extend into its 17th year. During that period, Thameslink have supported hundreds of Academy players with their travel to training as they chase their dreams of being a professional football player, alongside this there has been many occasions when Luton Town FC Academy and Thameslink have worked closely together to provide benefit back to local community.

“There is a great working relationship between Thameslink and Luton Town FC and I look forward to continuing to develop and strengthen this partnership.“

Safety & Security School Engagement Manager for Thameslink, Ross Evans, who participated in the community day, said: “It was great to join Luton Academy players to give back to the community at Luton Airport Parkway station. We’re delighted we are continuing our longstanding partnership with the football club, so these young people can pursue their passion for football and develop their talents. It’s one of the ways we can make a real difference for people in the communities we serve.

“We also took the opportunity to talk to the players about using the rail network safely so they can feel confident when travelling, and we look forward to welcoming them back to the railway soon.”