This week is Mental Health Awareness Week and as we come out the other side of the Covid-19 pandemic, here at Transport for Wales we want to celebrate our freedom to travel and share some of the benefits that travelling, even locally, can have on our mental health.

For Mental Health Awareness Week, Antony Thomas, Health Safety and Wellbeing Manager, writes about his experience of mental health support in the workplace and how it’s changed throughout his time within Transport for Wales.

For International Women's Day, we spoke to Silke Boak, our Insight and Research Manager, about the challenges she has faced and overcome as a woman working with a hidden disability.

For International Day of Women and Girls in Science, we spoke to our ecologist Laura Jones to learn more about her role and her fascinating career journey.

This week is National Apprenticeship Week, a celebration of the work apprentices up and down the country do every day, and a chance to raise awareness of the opportunities available for young people to progress in their careers.

At Transport for Wales, we’re proud to support the Armed Forces community. As part of our ambition to be one of Wales’ leading inclusive organisations, we’re continuing to support those who have served in the Armed Forces, both as an employer and a service provider.

The introduction of our new fleet of trains and tram-trains will completely transform the experience of customers who travel with us throughout Wales and the borders. However, they will also provide a major step change in our plans to decarbonise the transport network and become a more sustainable organisation in light of the challenges of climate change.

Since we launched fflecsi in June 2020, over 100,000 journeys have been made on our pilot services in Wales. We’re now providing an average of 4,000 rides every week, across eleven different areas throughout the country.

The safety of customers and staff remains our highest priority during this phase of the pandemic. We’re very grateful for the support of the vast majority of passengers who have followed the restrictions while they have been in place since March 2020, including wearing face coverings, maintaining social distancing and avoiding busy services where possible.

We’re currently recruiting for a new cohort of graduates for the September 2022 intake of the Transport for Wales graduate scheme.

7 June marks the return of our direct services linking Cardiff Central and Holyhead, known as “Y Gerallt Gymro” or “The Gerald of Wales” service. These are operated by our Mark 4 intercity carriages and include First Class carriages, free Wi-Fi throughout, an enhanced food and drink offer including a buffet car, accessible toilets and baby changing facilities.