Community heroes to be celebrated with their names on Great Western Railway trains
Great Western Railway has revealed the names of the community heroes who will have their names added to the side of trains in the coming weeks.
It follows a competition with the BBC last month to celebrate those community heroes who have been going above and beyond to help others during the pandemic.
It was the BBC Three Counties Radio Make A Difference (MAD) team who first shared the story of Captain Tom Moore.
He captured listeners’ hearts when he set out to do 100 laps of his garden before his 100th birthday to raise money for the NHS. Soon the rest of the world was cheering him on, too, helping him to raise over £33million.
GWR Interim Managing Director Matthew Golton said: “The GWR has a long and proud history of naming trains after Great Westerners – past and present heroes from across our network.
“It has been a privilege to partner with the BBC Make a Difference campaign and learn more about people who have helped to make such a huge difference in their communities during the pandemic.
Rail Minister Chris Heaton-Harris said: “I have been blown away by the efforts of all the COVID-19 heroes during the course of the pandemic. Their dedication and compassion has been truly heart-warming, and made a huge difference in their communities.
“These trains will be a lasting reminder of all those who have gone the extra mile to keep this country going.”
Bristol winners
Two community heroes from the Bristol area who selflessly helped others at the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic are to have their names featured on the side of a Great Western Railway train.
Nailsea Support Group volunteer Iain Bugler, who sadly passed away in July, and Compassionate Community Emergency Volunteer Response mastermind Sarah Williams-Martin have been chosen as BBC Make a Difference Superstars.
The pair were selected by judges following a link-up between the BBC and train operator GWR to celebrate those community heroes who have been going above and beyond during the pandemic.
Cornwall winners
Two community heroes from Cornwall who selflessly helped others at the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic are to have their names featured on the side of a Great Western Railway train.
Teenage fundraising hero Kieron Griffin and foodbank champion Don Gardner have been chosen as BBC Make a Difference Superstars.
The pair were selected by judges following a link-up between the BBC and train operator GWR to celebrate those community heroes who have been going above and beyond during the pandemic.
Devon winners
Two community heroes from Devon who selflessly helped others at the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic are to have their names featured on the side of a Great Western Railway train.
Village champion Preston de Mendonca and inspirational street performer Jeremy Doyle have been chosen as BBC Make a Difference Superstars.
The pair were selected by judges following a link-up between the BBC and train operator GWR to celebrate those community heroes who have been going above and beyond during the pandemic.
Gloucester winners
Two community heroes from Gloucestershire who selflessly helped others at the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic are to have their names featured on the side of a Great Western Railway train.
Food delivery champion Emma Hurrell and fancy-dress runner Martin Heath have been chosen as BBC Make a Difference Superstars.
The pair were selected by judges following a link-up between the BBC and train operator GWR to celebrate those community heroes who have been going above and beyond during the pandemic.
Hereford & Worcester winners
Two community heroes from Worcestershire who selflessly helped others at the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic are to have their names featured on the side of a Great Western Railway train.
Former Syrian TV reporter Mazen Salmou and online community group champion Charlotte Marsland have been chosen as BBC Make a Difference Superstars.
The pair were selected by judges following a link-up between the BBC and train operator GWR to celebrate those community heroes who have been going above and beyond during the pandemic.
Wiltshire winners
Two community heroes from Wiltshire who selflessly helped others at the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic are to have their names featured on the side of a Great Western Railway train.
Liz Gallagher, from Swindon’s Great Western Hospital, and Community Mask Tree founder Naomi Betts, from Amesbury, have been chosen as BBC Make a Difference Superstars.
The pair were selected by judges following a link-up between the BBC and train operator GWR to celebrate those community heroes who have been going above and beyond during the pandemic.
Stephanie Marshall, head of the BBC in the West and South West, said: “The pandemic may have been the worst of times for many of us, but it has brought out the best in so many people.
“Since lockdown began nearly two million listeners have contacted their BBC local radio station either looking for help, or in many cases offering it out through the Make a Difference campaign.
“The stories of local heroism have helped put a smile on faces across the country and I’m incredibly proud that our local radio teams played a part in that.”
The new starters are undertaking a Level 3 Rail Technician Apprenticeship programme, spending their first year at the college developing core engineering knowledge and competencies. In their second year, they will spend one day a week at college and four days a week on placement at Siemens Mobility traincare facilities, building up their practical skills and experience.
Their third year will be split between working full-time at the Goole facility and a six-month placement at the company’s rolling stock factory in Vienna, Austria. This will enable expert knowledge transfer from colleagues in a well-established, global manufacturing operation.
The 12 apprentices were selected by Siemens Mobility after receiving over 200 applications, with the majority of applicants from East Yorkshire and Lincolnshire. They join Selby College two months after construction work began at the nearby Goole site in July 2020, following a visit from Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
When complete, the state-of-the-art factory will manufacture and commission trains – the first of which will be new Tube trains for London’s Piccadilly line with plans for additional train manufacture in the future. This could include additional vehicles for the Bakerloo, Central and Waterloo & City line Tube trains, plus mainline suburban and intercity trains.
Siemens Mobility’s Goole plant will be complemented by research and development, digital innovation and supplier facilities, together forming a unique ‘rail village’.
Phil Sayles, Principal and Chief Executive of Selby College, said: “We were delighted to welcome Siemens Mobility’s first 12 apprentices to Selby College. This is a fantastic opportunity for them to be a part of an incredibly exciting project and develop the engineering skills which are so vital to the UK’s future.
“Our significant engineering facilities and partnerships with industry mean that we offer unparalleled training opportunities for apprentices in the sector, and we hope our new joiners gain maximum experience and knowledge from the programme during their time with us.”
Sambit Banerjee, Managing Director, Siemens Mobility Limited, said: “The onboarding of our first apprentices at Selby College represents another major milestone for our Goole facility and our plans to create and develop local jobs. With an outstanding track record of delivering apprenticeships and excellent facilities, Selby College is a brilliant place for these ambitious people to train and grow their skillset in engineering.
Source: Rail Business Daily
