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Who’s Hoo: A new home for Amtrain

Built at the turn of the millennium, the Hoo Junction training facility in Kent has seen some of the industry’s best and brightest come through its doors. Now its new custodian, Amtrain, plans to build on its previous success and bring its own brand of high-quality railway training to the South East.

Founded by husband and wife Andy and Sheila McKenna in 1997, Amtrain delivers a wide range of training courses for the rail sector, including track inductions and PTS, COSS, lookout/site warden, crane controller and engineering supervisor.

Initially run out of the family home, the company’s headquarters is now located off the A38 in Fradley. In 2017, Amtrain acquired Hoo Junction to expand its offering around the country and has now appointed an experienced manager to oversee the day-to-day running of the facility.

Under new management

Hoo Junction has five classrooms and a large outdoor practical training area. The centre can deliver small plant, machine crane controller/operator and all Sentinel safety-critical courses. It has a large car park and the capacity to accommodate up to 60 candidates daily.

The site will be managed by a career railwayman and passionate track safety advocate, Graham Ellis.

Graham began his career with British Rail as a second man in Stratford, East London, progressing through the grades to become train crew supervisor at London Liverpool Street. He briefly left the industry prior to privatisation before returning to the private sector under Railtrack, where he worked on numerous projects as a safety critical operative, eventually reaching the grade of senior PICOP.

In 1986, Graham set up his own railway training company in Somerset before joining McGinley in 1997 as a senior PICOP. He later became head of safety in 2001 and cites among his proudest achievements the creation of the ‘Safety IN Rail’ publication.

Graham is also a past board member of the Rail Industry Contractors Association (RICA), the Association of Railway Training Providers (ARTP) and was a member of the Network Rail training material review panel.

Following a tragic accident in 2000, he helped to introduce the ‘Blue Hat’ initiative through McGinley to enable clients to instantly recognise inexperienced track workers. This initiative was introduced by Balfour Beatty as a Wessex-specific solution to what was then an industry-wide problem and when Railtrack took control of the national infrastructure it became a norm for the entire industry.

In 2012, Graham became national training manager for McGinley’s in-house training division, successfully achieving an 86 per cent coverage of all internal training.

Glory days

Graham sees the reopening of Hoo Junction as the next chapter in Amtrain’s growth nationally. “This will be an exciting challenge to bring Hoo back to its former glory days,” said Graham. “The site offers excellent facilities to make a success in the continuing expansion of Amtrain as the go-to company for quality training and assessment in the South East and Midlands.”


Read more: Railway Children gear up for Ride India 2018


 

DRS managing director joins round-the-world yacht race crew

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Debbie Francis, the managing director of Direct Rail Services (DRS), has travelled to Australia to take part in a round-the-world yacht race.

Francis, who has no previous sailing experience, is taking on the Asia-Pacific Leg of the Clipper Race aboard the ‘Liverpool 2018’ yacht. She is completing the challenge in aid of Unicef.

From Australia’s east coast, Debbie will travel north to China, first stopping off at Sanya before continuing to Qingdao. The full course covers 40,000 nautical miles.

Debbie Francis said: “I have undertaken a few adventures during the last 10 years and was ready for a new challenge when I spotted the Clipper Race being advertised on the London Underground.


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“As soon as I read about it, I knew. I have never sailed in my life and this looked both physically and mentally demanding… Right up my street.”

She added: “I’ve challenged myself through many adventures over the last 12 years and it has given me a confidence I can’t explain. Pushing yourself out of your comfort zone enables personal growth and can make you a much stronger person. I’ve fundraised in the past for children’s charities and for the Clipper challenge I am fundraising for Unicef.”

Debbie will be out of the office until 21 March. In her absence, Chris Connelly is taking up the role of interim managing director and Beverley Stothart will cover Chris’ role as commercial and business development director.

You can donate by visiting Debbie’s fundraising page: www.justgiving.com/fundraising/debsleg5

Cleshar to take over Carillion’s maintenance work on London Overground line

Transport for London (TfL) is set to award Cleshar Contract Services a contract previously held by Carillion for maintenance on the London Overground’s East London line following the construction giant’s collapse.

The contract is due to begin on April 1 – subject to a 10-day standstill – and stipulates that existing Carillion employees will transfer to Cleshar Contract Services with their terms and conditions protected.

Until the new contract gets underway, TfL is working with PwC, appointed to assist the Liquidator of Carillion Construction, to finalise an agreement that enables Carillion to continue to fulfil the East London Line maintenance contract.


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This agreement gives guarantees to support Carillion employees’ continued work and payment until the new contractor takes over and ensures London Overground services between Highbury & Islington and New Cross Gate continue to operate as normal.

TfL’s rail and sponsored services director Jonathan Fox said:  “I would like to give my sincere thanks for the continued commitment and professionalism of all employees during this uncertain time and am delighted that we will be able to secure a way forward for this contract and the Carillion staff affected.

“I hope this will provide reassurance to our hardworking staff and our customers on the East London Line.”


Read more: Meet the HS2 innovators who want to introduce non-rail sector ideas


 

Video series aims to reignite campaign to put cycle path through disused railway tunnel

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Campaigners are hoping a new social media video series will draw more public support to their plan to reopen a disused railway tunnel in West Yorkshire as a cycle path.

The Queensbury Tunnel Society has produced a collection of filmed interviews to promote the tunnel’s history and the benefits of the project.

Supporters have been campaigning since 2014 for the disused tunnel, which was built by the Great Northern Railway between 1874 and 1878 on the Halifax, Thornton & Keighley Railway, to be reopened as a cycle path.

Queensbury Tunnel opened in 1878 and closed to traffic in 1956. At almost 2.3 km, it would become the longest tunnel in the UK, and one of the longest in Europe, to host a shared-use path.

However, the society has been battling to save Queensbury Tunnel since Highways England’s Historical Railways Estate (HRE), which looks after the structure for the Department for Transport (DfT), announced plans to infill parts of the tunnel.

Norah McWilliam, leader of the Queensbury Tunnel Society, says: “We’re working hard to promote our vision of the tunnel as a feat of Victorian engineering that still has a valuable role to play in the 21st century. These videos will help us, through the insight of friends who share the vision. It’s a complex story with lots of sub-plots, but we have to unravel them before it’s too late.

“There’s no going back if, in 20 years, we suddenly see the need for a cycle path connecting the Calder and Aire valleys. No amount of regret will shift all that concrete or the damage inflicted by time.”

Images: Forgotten Relics

Railway Children gear up for Ride India 2018

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The preparations are almost over for a team of charity cyclists taking on the Ride India 2018 challenge.

Between 2-11 March, the riders will cover 450 km from Delhi to Jaipur in aid of Railway Children.

The six-day ride will take in India’s Golden Triangle and a visit to the Taj Mahal.

As well as taking part in the challenge, participants will get the chance to see how the money raised helps to save the lives of street children across India.

There will be visits to a Railway Children shelter for children who have run away from home and one of the charity’s Child Friendly Stations.

The event is being sponsored by Thales. David Palmer, head of Main Line Rail UK at Thales, will also take part in the challenge.

Katie Mason, events manager at Railway Children, said: “Support from Thales will give Railway Children the opportunity to make the Ride India Challenge even more successful and help us reach more children and change more lives in India, as well as in Africa and the UK.

“Every mile cycled in support of Railway Children will fund vital projects to help children at risk on the streets.”

Shaun Jones, vice president of the transport business for Thales in the UK, added: “We are thrilled to be sponsors of Ride India 2018.

“Thales has long been a supporter of the charity Railway Children and the numerous events it has developed to raise vital funds that change the lives of children living on the streets and on the railways. Good luck to everyone involved in the 2018 ride.”

Information about Ride India 2018 is available at www.railwaychildren.org.uk/rideindia. To find out more contact Katie Mason on 01270 757596 | [email protected]

John Armitt replaces Andrew Adonis as chair of National Infrastructure Commission

Sir John Armitt, an experienced engineer who has held senior positions at Network Rail, the Institute of Civil Engineers and the Olympic Delivery Authority, has been appointed as the new chair of the National Infrastructure Commission (NIC).

A former deputy chair, Sir Armitt was promoted to the role in January following the resignation of Lord Andrew Adonis.

In his new position he will provide strategic advice to ensure the country has the long-term infrastructure it needs to thrive. Crucially he will also oversee the first ever National Infrastructure Assessment, which is due to be released this summer.


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John Armitt said: “Making the right choices about planning and investing in infrastructure is critical to the UK’s prosperity and quality of life.

“I want the Commission to remain focused on tackling the long-term issues of congestion, capacity and carbon – and to continue to hold the government to account where decisive action is needed – so we can secure the improvements that companies, communities and families need.”

The NIC was first setup in 2015 to help plan, prioritise and ensure efficient investment in Britain’s infrastructure.


Read more: Meet the HS2 innovators who want to introduce non-rail sector ideas


 

Meet the HS2 innovators who want to introduce non-rail sector ideas

Pizza boxes piled in a corner, eyes fixed to laptop screens and sugary foods scattered around the room. It might sound like a student’s typical night in but this is actually the setting for innovation.

Techies, coders, strategists, designers. These are the figures striving to make HS2 as efficient, effective and safe as possible by developing new ideas and reengineering the most advanced technology around.

Organised by HS2 Ltd in partnership with Transport Systems Catapult, more than 100 innovators from non-rail sector organisations met in Milton Keynes in December for a HS2 ‘hackathon’, to offer a fresh perspective on a number of safety, training and maintenance inspection challenges.


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Judges at the HS2 hackathon included HS2's head of innovation Iain Roche (Centre-left).
Judges at the HS2 hackathon included HS2’s head of innovation Iain Roche (Centre-left).

Pinching with pride

“A lot of the capabilities that we need – things like condition and health monitoring – are really prevalent in our automotive and aerospace sectors, and we have some of the best expertise in the world,” says HS2’s head of innovation, Iain Roche, who previously held the same role at Rolls-Royce.

“A big part of what we’re doing is bringing in some of that knowledge and thinking from other sectors and looking at how that would translate into our world.”

Iain might lead on innovation but it isn’t his sole job to innovate. Instead his role is to act as the catalyst for innovation by creating an environment that enables an increased uptake of it. Crucially, his remit is to do this in a way that delivers good value to the taxpayer.

“If you look at the world class high-speed railways – Japan is a good example, from an operation performance perspective it is the benchmark. However it delivers this operational performance at significant operational cost. We need to use innovation to deliver the same or better operational performance, but at a much lower cost, therefore delivering better value to the tax payer,” he added.

Iain said that a lot of the technology that HS2 needs is already being used in other sectors and that it shouldn’t “create technology for the sake of it”.

Outsiders

Led by the former head of innovation for one of the world’s largest makers of aircraft engines, with support from university researchers and specialist tech firms, it is not from inside the rail industry that HS2 is looking for its innovators but outside.

RailStaff spoke to some of the hackathon contributors to find out how their ideas could impact the delivery and operation of Britain’s second high-speed line.


John Donovan, software engineer

Using augmented and virtual reality to data crunch is John’s area of expertise. Having previously worked for Ordnance Survey, helping to develop a new generation of mapping software, and later a number of games developers, where he honed his real-time 3D programming skills, the lead software developer has been looking at how virtual reality specialists Clicks and Links can use big data to help HS2.

John and his colleagues showcased the use of augmented reality (AR) to visualise real-time information on HS2’s track, tunnels and trackside infrastructure at the hackathon. They demonstrated how a worker trained in track safety could inspect an asset using an AR headset while specialist engineering colleagues watch the feed and communicate from the office, removing the need for everyone to be on site.

AR could allow the operator to access information on what needs to be done to fix an asset, for example, just by looking at it.


Andrew Cowen, innovator

Andrew is hoping to improve safety culture by re-engineering wearable technology that is used in the health sector.

Innovation may be at the forefront of his mind at the moment but it hasn’t always been. In the 1960s, he started out as a professional contemporary dancer and later ventured into photography. After switching between creative roles, he put it all aside to become a full-time family carer and then set up his own homecare agency.

From his firsthand experience, Andrew saw the potential to exploit technology for the benefit of patients and developed wearable technology to monitor their health. Teaming up with Aurora Computer Services, specialists in facial recognition technology, Andrew and his company, The Future Care, hope to develop a system for detecting and raising the alarm if employees are showing signs of fatigue or illness whilst working on the railway.

Similar to the trucking industry, the technology could be used to monitor train drivers and recognise if they had fallen asleep and react by applying the brakes.


Dr Claire Ellul, geographical information scientist

After graduating as an electrical engineer from the University of Malta, Dr Claire Ellul has worked in the field of geographic information systems (GIS).

Currently, Claire, a data scientist, lectures and leads a team conducting research into 3D GIS and building information modelling (BIM) integration at University College London, working out how to combine the best of both –  GeoBIM – for improved asset management. 3D GIS enables linking, visualising and analysing information that otherwise couldn’t be joined.

GeoBIM would see BIM contribute information on the quantity and type of materials needed for a construction project while GIS calculates the most cost-efficient route for bringing materials on site while avoiding school traffic and the historic town centre, for example.


Li Wang, algorithm engineer

Building on a background in algorithm system design and development, Li co-founded Biosite in 2010. The company has created a number of biometric access control systems which use fingerprint scanners to control site access.

Biosite products already increase safety at hundreds of construction sites across the country, but Li wants to measure, monitor and manage competency, training, fatigue and general welfare through the biometric linking of HS2’s workforce. This would enable the effective tracking of each member of the workforce from site to site to ensure that health, safety and security is optimised.

Li previously worked as a mobile phone engineer for Motorola and worked as a scientific programmer developing cancer detection software.


Read more: Finding the people to make HS2 happen


 

Autism awareness training for frontline staff

Great Western Railway (GWR) has provided bespoke autism awareness to its 3,500 frontline staff.

The train operator has not previously included special requirements for those living with autism but has done so with the help of charity Anna Kennedy Online to help its staff better meet customers’ needs.

There are around 700,000 people in the UK living with autism, which causes distress and anxiety around such issues as processing information but also the need for structure and reassurance.

GWR said that this programme is improving how it delivers customer service, emphasising the need for a tailored and personalised service for all customers.


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Watch Austin Hughes, who lives with autism and developed GWR’s awareness training programme, discuss the challenges of travelling with the condition. 

Charity founder Anna Kennedy said: “As a parent of two young men, travelling by train this has always been a difficult experience due to my youngest son who has significant sensory issues.

“Whistles blowing, crowded and noisy stations, doors banging; it can be a bit full-on and cause him anxiety. By sharing information with all staff this will hopefully help create a less stressful journey.”


Read more: Recognition for Newcastle College’s Transport Academy


 

Recognition for Newcastle College’s Transport Academy

Newcastle College has been awarded the highest major honour for colleges and universities for the development of its Transport Academy.

Established in 2006 to train individuals with the skills required by industry, the Transport Academy – which includes a rail and an aviation centre – has been given the Queen’s Anniversary Prize for Higher and Further Education.

The biennial award recognises the college’s collaboration with industry, ensuring that the qualifications and learning environments align with employer demand. It will be presented to Newcastle College at Buckingham Palace in February.

Joe Docherty is the chief executive of NCG, the national college group which includes Newcastle College. He said: “Newcastle College’s Transport Academy is the result of a long-term strategy which aims to support the transport infrastructure of not only the North East but the wider economy.


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“In order to make the Transport Academy a success we had to ensure that we recruited the right individuals with strong industry backgrounds to drive this vision forward. Both academies are made up of teaching and support teams that have a vast amount of experience in their respective fields.

“By doing this we have been able to position each Academy at the heart of industry to ensure that those trained within each facility are able to pursue employment opportunities on completion of their college course.”

Newcastle College’s Rail Academy was opened in Gateshead in 2014 with the backing of Network Rail. It followed the model of the Aviation Academy and works closely with CrossCountry and the National Skills Academy for Rail.

Heading the academy is Scott Johnson, who has more than 15 years’ experience in the rail industry in various management roles.

Scott said: “Our aim at the Rail Academy is to be the North of England and Scotland gateway for rail engineering, employment and skills.

“To be awarded such an accolade within three years of opening our doors is a remarkable achievement for all those involved with our Academy.”


Read more: Meeting skills and staffing challenges in the rail industry


 

Carillion staff working on Network Rail projects to be paid until mid-April

Network Rail said it had reached an agreement with the firm supporting the liquidation of Carillion that will guarantee that staff working on Network Rail projects will continue to be paid until at least the middle of April.

PwC, which was appointed as a special manager to the Official Receiver overseeing the liquidation of the company, will be able to pay all Carillion employees working on Network Rail sites until after Easter and is encouraging staff to continue turning up to work as normal.

An agreement has also been reached to pay Carillion suppliers for work undertaken since the news broke on January 15.

In a statement, Network Rail said:  “Network Rail and PwC are also working closely together to evaluate the cost of work done on Network Rail contracts in the period up to liquidation with a view to provide clarity to suppliers as quickly as possible.

“Network Rail and PwC continue to work closely on proposals for the future treatment of contracts, staff and suppliers to ensure the continued delivery of these important projects.”

RMT’s general secretary Mick Cash said the announcement would provide some comfort to Carillion staff but that there were questions that remained unanswered.

“This is at least some respite for our members at the end of a traumatic week. However, there is‎ no commitment on sub-contractors wages and no commitment as to whether directly employed staff or sub-contractors who worked throughout Christmas and New year will receive those payments. The cash has already been paid over to Carillion but no promise to pay the workers has been given and that needs to be sorted out urgently.

“The employment and pension status of Carillion staff has also not been established and RMT will be seeking assurances that pension contributions issues are addressed.

“RMT continues to push for a long-term solution and we believe that means organising for Carillion’s work, and their employees, to be taken directly into Network Rail to ensure stability and security for the future.

“RMT is also continuing to argue the case for those Carillion rail workers not covered by Network Rail to be given cast iron guarantees for the future by the train operating companies and Transport for London.  Our talks around securing the jobs and futures of all of our members hit by the Carillion collapse are on-going.”

RailStaff January 2018: Reasons to be cheerful

We all have our own Christmas rituals. They often include a healthy helping of gravy and a second serving of some sort of rich festive pudding. For those planning and delivering the £260 million worth of Christmas works the gorging has had to wait.

Projects big and small were completed this Christmas and New Year. From a large-scale platform remodelling scheme in Liverpool to installing new drainage inside a leaky Sevenoaks Tunnel in Kent.

One of the most high-pro le projects was in the heart of the capital, as Thameslink engineers finally completed the complex track works around London Bridge and fully reopened the station to passengers. In our round up of the Christmas works we’ve featured a photo taken on New Year’s Eve by one of the engineers working outside London Bridge. You can just about make out fireworks in the long-exposure shot.

With the madness of the Christmas period over, now is a time for reflection. It is no surprise that it is this time of year that so many of us think about what we want from our careers. The second half of this issue focuses on railway skills and the companies that could help our readers make their next move.

But what do we as an industry have to look forward to in the new year?

The rolling stock market remains buoyant, with new fleets due to arrive in the North West, Scotland and East Coast. We will also learn more about the future fleets for HS2 and London Underground’s deep-level lines.


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At the end of the year, Londoners will finally have the chance to explore the Elizabeth line for the first time and as the Crossrail project draws to a close plans will be progressed further for Crossrail 2.

Midland Metro is continuing its expansion alongside increasing levels of activity around the future site of Birmingham’s Curzon Street HS2 terminal.

The Government has also promised to explore options to revive more disused rail corridors and will continue to target investment into the railways that link the major cities of the North.

For all the reasons to be cheerful there are some persistent challenges. Questions about how we address the depth of the industry’s skills base and its diversity have come up time and time again throughout the creation of this issue. As a reflection of the industry, we too know we have a responsibility to promote the industry as an inclusive sector that isn’t bogged down by past perceptions or old-fashioned attitudes.

Let’s begin the new year with a positive spirit. The opportunities outweigh the trials. The challenges we face can be overcome – they’re not unassailable.


Read more: RailStaff January 2018 – A job well done


 

Meeting skills and staffing challenges in the rail industry

Finding the right staff and skills is one of the biggest challenges for the rail industry and for the delivery of infrastructure projects both in the UK and globally.

As well as influencing public policy on key areas like training, immigration and skills, it is important to look at innovative ways of attracting new people into the sector and developing leading-edge hiring practices. What are some of the short-term and longer-term ways forward for the industry?

Immigration and skills

Employers in the rail industry must be able to access the staff and skills they need to compete and grow. The government can help, but employers also need to step up and help make a difference.

As well as using data and research to make the case for a balanced post-Brexit immigration strategy, we need to provide compelling examples of how overseas workers contribute to the sector and how staffing shortages can jeopardise the delivery of new infrastructure projects. When it comes to influencing the political agenda, stories are as important as hard data and employers in the sector can play a key role by engaging directly with Ministers and local MPs as well as working with representative bodies.

In parallel, it is crucial to ensure that people and skills remain a key component of the Government’s industrial strategy. Employers need to drive this agenda on both a regional and national level to ensure that we create a genuine step-change in the skills base available to the rail industry. A proactive approach to working with local schools and colleges is an important way forward and is something that the REC’s recent Future of Jobs Commission honed in on as a means of building better bridges between education and the world of work.


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Driving inclusion

Many roles within the rail industry need to see a genuine improvement on diversity and inclusion. For example, women remain hugely under-represented in engineering roles and more can be done to reach out to other under-represented groups. Rectifying this will take some time and will often involve transforming organisational culture rather than making cosmetic changes.

What other factors can make a difference? Specialist recruiters within REC membership have underlined the importance of female role models – at all levels – as an important way of encouraging more women into the sector. On the disability agenda, organisations like HS2 are playing a leadership role and specific initiatives like RIDI (Recruitment Industry Disability Initiative) are helping to raise awareness.

Harnessing new technology

The introduction of new technologies is already having an impact. For example, drones are now being used on infrastructure projects to quickly assess delivery options and even make cost calculations. Will this mean an end to jobs such as quantity surveyors in the years ahead, or will it open up opportunities for a different type of roles? As in other sectors, the impact of automation and new technology on job roles and future skills needs will remain a key focus area within the rail industry.

Employers working in rail industry supply chains have flagged the benefits of new technologies in enabling people with disabilities to operate in roles that would previously have been inaccessible. Artificial intelligence and new software is also impacting on the actual recruitment process itself, but the feedback from employers and candidates in the sector is that the ‘human touch’ will remain crucial and that the work of recruitment professionals will become central to helping individuals and businesses navigate an ever-evolving employment landscape.

Reimagining hiring procedures

Organisations are fishing in the same pool – especially when it comes to digital skills – and the need to shake up current hiring procedures is increasingly recognised. The REC’s June report – Perfect match: making the right hire and the cost of getting it wrong – says four in 10 employers admit that the interviewing and assessment skills of their staff should be improved. UK businesses are currently failing to hire the right person for two out of five roles, and the hidden costs involved in bad recruitment include money wasted on training, lost productivity and increased staff turnover.

As well as driving innovation, employers in the rail industry need to get the basics right, including clear job descriptions, understanding how their brand is really perceived by candidates and providing line managers with recruitment training. Regular reviews and benchmarking of recruitment practices with peers will become increasingly important; initiatives such as the REC’s Good Recruitment Campaign will help to ensure that more employers future-poof their hiring strategies.

Recruitment will get harder; the only solution is for employers in the rail industry to get better at it. As the professional body for the recruitment sector, the REC is committed to using ongoing research and forward-looking initiatives like the Future of Jobs Commission and the Good Recruitment Campaign to make this happen.

This article was written by Tom Hadley director of policy & professional services, Recruitment & Employment Confederation (REC).


Read more: Ban the box: helping ex-offenders into employment


 

Ban the box: helping ex-offenders into employment

Rehabilitating offenders into society is a crucial part of the UK’s justice system. Without the opportunity to put spent criminal offences behind them, a convicted person may not reintegrate and could in fact reoffend.

Employment is one of the most important building blocks to ensuring offenders can make a fresh start but many people with spent criminal convictions are being prevented from accessing work because of discriminatory recruitment practices.

Under the terms of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974, a spent conviction – a conviction of less than four years that can be effectively ignored after a period of time – does not have to be disclosed when applying for most jobs. However, employers sometimes deliberately, if not inadvertently, exclude people with convictions – who are either unaware that they do not need to disclose convictions or feel pressured to – from recruitment processes by including a tick box for any convictions on application forms. Crucially, employers can only refuse to hire someone on the basis of spent convictions for certain types of employment, such as working with children or vulnerable adults. It is against the law to refuse someone a job because they have a spent conviction or caution.

Nevertheless, survey results from a YouGov study found that 50 per cent of employers would not consider employing offenders or ex-offenders. Figures from the work and pensions select committee reveal the extent of the problem with just 26.5 per cent of prisoners entering employment after release, despite the fact that having a job can aid their rehabilitation.

Civic duty

Business in the Community (BITC), a Prince of Wales community charity established in the wake of the Toxteth and Brixton Riots in 1982, has promoted the “Ban the Box” campaign to, quite literally, ban the tick box in job applications which ask if the candidate has a criminal conviction.

The campaign is a worldwide one and has been endorsed by former United States president Barack Obama. In the rail industry, the likes of Costain, Amey, ISS and Virgin Trains have all committed to creating fair employment opportunities for ex-offenders.

Virgin Trains has banned the box since February 2016 and has run an employment programme for ex-offenders since 2011 driven by Richard Branson, who said he hopes that ex-offenders can represent 10 per cent of the Virgin Group’s future workforce. Virgin Trains now only asks candidates about criminal convictions once an initial job offer has been made.

Lead recruiter Kathryn Wildman said it was about assessing the candidates on their capabilities and where they are in their lives now. She added: “We already work with people with convictions so banning the box seemed a logical step to take given our current work. We do not want to put people off applying for roles with us and would like to make our decisions based on where the candidate is now and what they can add to our business.”

Costain joined the list of Ban the Box employers in 2017 as part of its goal to create a workforce that is reflective of society. Corporate responsibility manager James York said: “[Ex-offenders] have something to contribute to society, and they’re being unfairly prevented from a second chance. It isn’t just our civic duty to give ex-offenders a fair chance of finding work, it makes total business sense for us and the wider UK economy.”

Benefits to society

Earlier this year David Lammy MP released a report into the treatment of black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) groups in the criminal justice system. The Lammy Review highlighted that for every 100 white men sentenced to custody after being convicted at crown court, 112 black men go to jail, despite BAME people making up just 14 per cent of the UK. This racial disparity consequentially means that more ex-offenders with a spent conviction of a BAME demographic could find obstacles to finding employment. Banning the box could therefore help to increase diversity of the workforce.

BITC employment campaign manager Nicola Inge said that research has shown that having a job can reduce an individual’s chances of re-offending by up to 50 per cent – saving society up to £15 billion a year. She added: “Research we conducted earlier this year highlighted legal concerns that employers could be falling foul of indirect discrimination laws if they are not assessing candidates with convictions fairly.

“A culture change is needed within [the UK] to ensure qualified applicants with criminal records are treated fairly – and Ban the Box, asking employers to remove the tick box from recruitment forms, is a critical part of the solution.”

By banning the box, employers are making it easier for ex-offenders to find employment. They are also showing they are open minded, socially responsible businesses and increasing the pool of skilled and experienced workers they can access – 10 million have a criminal record according to BITC. At a time when the industry is suffering from a skills shortage, this talent pool could prove to be a valuable addition to the workforce.


Read more: Heathrow Express flying high


 

Heathrow Express flying high

Heathrow Express comes into its 20th year off the back of a strong 2017. Record passenger numbers and increasing customer satisfaction would suggest that the airport’s foray into railway operations has been a successful one.

For staff at Heathrow Express (HEx) – many of whom would say they’ve grown up within the company – now is a particularly exciting time.

“One of the biggest challenges is just the amount of challenges,” said Stephen Head, head of fleet engineering.

Stephen has a formidable to-do list which includes planning two major fleet overhauls, overseeing a depot move and planning future fleet requirements. All this comes on top of the day-to-day responsibility of ensuring fleet availability and reliability.

“Any of those is a big challenge in isolation, and we’ve got it coming together at one time,” said Stephen, who joined HEx in January 2017.

Bring on 2018

HEx has a fleet of 19 trains: 14 Class 332s and five Heathrow Connect Class 360/2 units. In May 2018, TfL Rail will replace Heathrow Connect services before it becomes the Elizabeth line at the end of the year and Stephen is currently working out what the future will hold for the fleet, while looking at the potential for a brand new fleet in the mid-2020s. “Lots going on but it’s an incredibly exciting time,” said Stephen, whose interest in the railway stems back to the time he spent visiting the Romney Hythe & Dymchurch Railway (RH&DR) as a child.

Stephen was approaching his 30th birthday when he arrived at HEx to lead the operator’s core engineering team. HEx has given him the opportunity and backing to grow into the role, said Stephen, who is being supported by the company to pursue an MBA at the London Business School. He is also able to tap into the engineering expertise within the wider Heathrow group and the airport’s engineering director as a mentor.

Photo: Shutterstock.com

Other areas of the business are also busy preparing for the changes arriving in the new year, including a massive overhaul of the ticketing infrastructure. In preparation for the Elizabeth line, new ticket barriers are being installed, new ticket vending machines are going in and staff are being issued with new handheld terminals – all of which requires a substantial training programme to prepare frontline staff. “It’s not going to be easy, but we’ve done it before, we can do it again,” said Lynsay Collins, head of customer service.

Lynsay has worked at Heathrow her entire adult life, starting on the check in desk at the age of 19. She later joined Heathrow Express as a customer services station manager before becoming a duty manager. “I realised in that role that it was actually the people management that I was really interested in,” said Lynsay, who then worked her way up to head of customer service – a position she’s held for two and a half years.

HEx performed well in the most recent National Rail Passenger Survey (NRPS), improving on its previous customer satisfaction score. “My belief is that customer service and how we deliver customer service stems from the person delivering it,” said Lynsay, who moved from South Africa to Nottingham with her parents when she was 18. “If they have the knowledge and understanding of how to answer the customer’s question they’re not going to feel uncomfortable to give the customer an answer.”

Lynsay heads up a senior team of three line managers that oversee 24 station managers across four stations. “The thing that I’m most proud of is the station managers going station specific,” said Lynsay, referring to a change in practice which previously involved moving managers around HEx stations. “We’re just over a year in, and I think if you had to ask any of the station managers was it the right thing to do they’d all say yes.”

She added: “That has ultimately had a direct impact on the station teams and consequently the customer.”

Diversity and community

A recruitment campaign in the new year will bring new talent into Lynsay’s team and she’s keen to use her story to illustrate the opportunities for progression offered to employees.

Kirsty Sando, the newly appointed head of drivers, is another member of the HEx team who has grown up with the company. A qualified primary school teacher, Kirsty joined HEx 10 years ago, working on the front line checking tickets as a customer host. Three years after joining the company, she became a train driver, holding several other management positions before being named as the new head of drivers last year.

Kirsty said she’s seen her calendar suddenly fill up with meetings. As head of drivers, Kirsty is responsible for recruiting new drivers, managing training and implementing any new safety initiatives. Alongside operating their timetabled services, Kirsty and her drivers are supporting the training of Elizabeth line drivers on the Heathrow Connect route.

Kirsty’s career progression illustrates an improving picture across the industry which is showing increasing numbers of female drivers joining the profession.

“I feel in a way I’m very lucky being at Heathrow Express,” said Kirsty, referring to the opportunities she’s been afforded that have allowed her to climb to a senior role relatively early in her career. “I’m hoping other companies follow our lead. If other companies could support females as much as we do, we’ll start seeing it more across the industry.”

One way HEx is supporting the diversity agenda is through its community outreach work. When communications and CSR officer Nathan Harrison joined the business in 2015, he helped to re-establish a partnership with Harris Academy St John’s Wood, which has resulted in students visiting Heathrow and experiencing what it’s like to be interviewed for a job. As well as providing employment advice to students, HEx staff have visited the school to discuss career opportunities within the business.

This connection with the communities HEx serves has been engrained within the company. For some staff members, 10 per cent of their performance card is measured on community contributions.

Through the company’s CSR schemes, Nathan also works with Paddington Partnership, which connects HEx with local charities. Through this initiative, HEx staff have supported various good causes. Only recently, staff members helped take a group of elderly people on a day trip in London.

“It’s really eye-opening and quite a humbling experience I think,” said Nathan, who was planning for a career in journalism before discovering a passion for internal communications.

“Although I like to think of myself as engaged in my local community privately it never occurred to me that there might be a role that allowed me to do that professionally.”

“One minute I can be doing a website update… and the next I’m organising a group of people to go down to a food bank.”

Bumper year

HEx is hoping to build on what was a bumper 2017. Ticket revenue was up 8.5 per cent on the previous year, as increasing numbers of passengers boarded HEx trains to and from central London.

One of the people who has helped contribute to this rise is Karan Suri, senior pricing and commercial manager, who has developed the future pricing structure for the business.

Karan, who joined HEx just over a year ago, said: “I’ve done quite a few tests on pricing and some of them have worked quite well and so this year is actually our best numbers in terms of passenger numbers. I think that’s not only driven by pricing but pricing is a key part of it.“

Prior to joining HEx, Karan had been a yield manager at another train operator. He says his current role allows him to support other parts of the business and contribute to conversations about things like marketing in a way he hadn’t been able to in the past.

“The depth of experience you get working in HEx isn’t necessarily what you’d get in other TOCs,” said Karan. “The breadth of experience you get is very different. You get a lot of different experience in a small team which actually helps you long term… When you work in a small team, and you’re more closely involved, it gives you a more holistic view of the business.”

The majority of customers who use HEx buy their tickets at the terminal, but the operator also works closely with airlines and travel companies to integrate its booking software into their website booking platforms.

“We are out there working with key strategic partners, identifying new ones, working with existing ones,” said Richard Young, sales and distribution manager, who is currently preparing for the launch of the company’s new digital platform in February. “We’re really trying to use technology as much as we possibly can and we’re trying to integrate the Heathrow Express booking solution into our partners’ sales booking systems.”

Richard joined HEx 16 months ago, bringing with him a wealth of experience from the travel sector. “It was an interesting opportunity,” said Richard. “It’s a small team but it was leading a team and being given the opportunity to do that.” Asked about the strengths of the business, Richard said he’s been impressed by the technology at his disposal and the overall ethos of the company. “We’ve got a will to do things well. We really want to put the customer first.”

A lot has changed since HEx carried its first passengers 20 years ago. Passenger numbers at Heathrow Airport have risen by around 20 per cent, mirroring the increasing number of passengers catching the train. A whole generation of rail staff have also come through the business in that time and many more will begin their journey in 2018.

Mark Carne going nowhere, says Network Rail chairman

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Network Rail’s chairman, Sir Peter Hendy, said he has no plans to advertise for a new chief executive following a newspaper report claiming that Mark Carne was under pressure from Whitehall to resign.

An article in The Telegraph suggested that the government wasn’t satisfied with Network Rail’s performance under Carne’s leadership and were keen for him to step down. Quoting an insider source, the piece suggested that the size of his annual pay package was also a source of contention.

Hendy has since defended Carne’s record, describing him as “an exceptional leader”.

Network Rail’s chairman said he doesn’t plan to look for a replacement until Mark informs him of his desire to move away from the organisation.

Sir Peter Hendy CBE said: “Mark Carne is an exceptional leader, and has conceived and led Network Rail’s transformation to devolved routes, better responding to and focussing on our customers.

“Network Rail also delivers thousands of projects every year, the vast majority to time and budget. Last week saw him and the organisation personally complimented by Chris Grayling on the successful execution of the biggest programme of Christmas and New Year railway upgrades ever.

“We recognise train performance is not where we’d like it to be, but Network Rail’s infrastructure is performing at record levels on a railway busier than it ever has been.

“It is for me and the Board to hire and fire the  CEO and we all know and recognise that Mark is doing a terrific job. I won’t be advertising for any replacement until Mark tells me he wants to step down. Right now, he continues to drive Network Rail forward, to enable Britain’s railway to deliver economic growth, jobs and housing.”

Photo: Network Rail

Work begins on Ashford International’s high-speed upgrade

Network Rail has begun work to widen the high-speed platforms at Ashford International to ensure international services will continue to operate through the station in the future.

The international platforms at Ashford International are having to be widened to accommodate Eurostar’s new generation of trains.

Network Rail said it was already installing new signalling equipment which is required for the new Eurostar fleet, and any future international operators, to serve the station.

The first Class 374 Eurostar e320 is due to call at Ashford in April.

Class 375 passing through Ashford International. Photo: Peter Moulton / Shutterstock.com.

Network Rail’s senior commercial scheme sponsor, Mark Ellerby, said: “When Ashford International was rebuilt in the 1990s, the platforms used by international trains were not built to full European standards, because the Eurostars of that era ran on normal GB tracks.

“The work we are doing with new signalling equipment and the platforms will future-proof the town’s station and preserve its status as part of Europe’s high-speed network – one of only four stations in the country to have that honour.

“High-speed rail and links to Europe have given Ashford a huge boost over the past 21 years and we are pleased to be working with Eurostar and local authorities to keep that going.”

The George Cross recipient who saved hundreds of lives by staying aboard a burning locomotive

Heroic train driver Wallace ‘Wally’ Oakes made the selfless decision to remain onboard a burning steam locomotive in 1965, saving hundreds of lives with his actions.

The Firth of Forth was pulling a passenger train from Euston-Carlisle and had set off from Crewe station when a severe blowback occurred and filled the cabin with smoke and flames.

Despite suffering severe burns and with the engine ablaze, Wallace stayed on the footplate to bring the train to a halt and prevent a serious accident from happening.

His bravery and quick thinking saved the lives of hundreds of passenger on the West Coast Mainline, but he suffered dearly as a result and later died after receiving 80 per cent burns.

Wallace’s fireman Gwilym Roberts was also badly injured but survived to tell the tale. His first-hand account of Wallace’s heroism led to the train driver to be posthumously awarded the George Cross – the highest civilian honour. He is believed to be one of only six railway workers to have received the honour.


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Photo: NRM.
Wallace Oakes’ George Cross medal. Photo: NRM.

Wallace’s medal – and his tale – is part of a new  exhibition at the National Railway Museum (NRM) in York.

Titled Highlights, the exhibition brings together a number of significant items from NRM’s collection that are rarely seen by visitors – including Wallace’s medal which was recently bought for £60,000 at auction.

Head curator Andrew McLean said: “Although the 260 locomotives and vehicles are the most well-known part of our collection, they make up less than 0.5 per cent of the total, which includes everything from paintings, ceramics, signage and signal boxes to coins, furniture, photographs and rare books.

“This exhibition is intended to give people the opportunity to see a different side of the collection and to use paintings and objects to tell new stories about why the railways matter to all of us. Wallace Oakes’s medal for example remembers an act of great sacrifice that saved many lives, but it also tells us just how dangerous working on the railways was in the age of steam.”

The exhibition, which as been made possible thanks to £30,000 from both the Friends of NRM and the Science Museum Group, is situated on a balcony overlooking the museum’s Great Hall and includes paintings, medals, handcrafted models and other historically significant artefacts.

Highlights is now open during the National Railway Museum’s hours of 10am to 5pm and is free to enter.


Read more: SVR launches £10,000 appeal to repair vandalised carriages


 

Huge blaze leads to evacuation of Nottingham station

Fire fighters were called to tackle a major fire at Nottingham railway station on January 12.

Flames were seen from the Grade two-listed station and plumes of smoke filling its concourse.

Station manager East Midlands Trains (EMT) said that the building was evacuated and emergency services, including around 10 fire appliances, 60 fire fighters and the British Transport Police (BTP), were on site.


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No trains ran to and from the station during the incident, which caused disruptions on the Nottingham/London St Pancras, Matlock/Nottingham/Newark, Nottingham/Mansfield/Worksop, Leicester/Lincoln/Grimsby, Nottingham/Grantham/Skegness and Liverpool/Nottingham/Norwich routes.

All platforms at the station were re-opened on January 14 after an assessment from structural engineers.

Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue said that it was called to deal with the blaze at around 6.25am. The fire started in the “new section” but spread to the roof. It does not yet know the cause of the fire, which is believed to have started in a public toilet.

BTP, which is conducting a joint investigation with the fire service, said that it has reason to believe the fire was started deliberately. The fire is now being treated as arson.

No one is believed to have been injured as a result of the fire.

Nottingham station re-opened to passengers in March, 2014, after a refurbishment programme and period of closure saw around £50 million invested in the building.


Read more: Big reveal at Nottingham station


 

You and your career in 2018

The industry’s target to secure 100,000 job opportunities across the UK by 2027 is further evidence – if any more was needed – of the railway’s long-term commitment to the growth and development of its workforce.

While the opening of new colleges and the creation of new apprenticeships offers exciting opportunities for newcomers, the new year will present people at all different stages of their careers with the chance to take on new challenges and find their dream job.

For anyone launching a job hunt this January, here are a few pointers to help make your search a successful one.

Assess your options

If you’re thinking of changing jobs, ask yourself why? Salary is often not the primary reason people choose to leave. What are you looking for from prospective employers? Decide what type of employment contract suits your needs. Are you looking for a permanent position? Are you open to contract or part-time roles?

Retraining and upskilling

If you’re looking to take your career in a completely different direction, there are various opportunities out there. For example, the National College for High Speed Rail (NCHSR), which has sites in Birmingham and Doncaster, is keen to attract existing railway employees who are looking to add high-speed rail engineering skills to their CVs.

Set up job alerts

RailwayPeople.com can have up to 2,000 jobs online at any one time so you need to be smart about your search. If you register as a candidate and upload your CV, you can set up alerts to email new vacancies that fit your experience and competencies straight to your inbox. You can also make your details visible to recruiters, who can contact you directly about roles.

Get your CV fighting fit

Your CV may need a bit of work if it’s been a while since your last job hunt. With so many examples of ‘the perfect CV’ online it can be difficult to know what’s right for your sector. There are lots of companies that offer professional CV writing services but a good place to start would be to use the National Careers Service’s free advice line, which can be contacted either by phone or web chat.

Don’t put all your eggs in one basket

It can be disheartening to go through several rounds of interviews and assessments to ultimately find out you were unsuccessful for a job you seemed perfect for. Try to stay positive and keep responding to ads even if you’re confident about another opportunity.

Upload or update your candidate profile on RailwayPeople.com.

Why leasing back old trains to buy new isn’t such a strange idea

Reports emerged last week that Transport for London (TfL) plans to sell some of its fleet and lease them back to help raise £875 million to finance a new fleet for the Piccadilly line. A Liberal Democrat politician described the plans as “quite mad”.

TfL responded by saying that sale and leaseback agreements are nothing new – and it is right.

The practice of selling trains only to lease them to help finance new vehicles isn’t a new one. The process was used by English Welsh & Scottish (EWS) in the 1990s to finance the first Class 66s.

“In TfL’s case they’ve got an asset that’s worth x amount of pounds but it’s a sunk cost,” said Martin Fleetwood, who specialises in rail and transport for law firm Shoosmiths.

Martin likened the practice to the way a homeowner might use equity release to receive a lump sum from the value of their property while continuing to live there.

TfL may not have many other options. It could try and finance the new fleet without the extra cash from a sale and leaseback deal but if it was unable to raise the money through fare income, it would need to find another source to raise the cash.

It could also lease the new fleet – although Martin, who has worked within the rail sector for more than 20 years advising on rail franchises, concessions and rolling stock supply agreements across both light and heavy rail, thinks TfL wouldn’t have been so keen on this option.

“Primarily they want to own the new fleet… because London Underground and TfL have historically owned and managed their own stock,” said Martin. “They’re probably looking at the longer game.”

Selling some of the older stock and leasing it back could also make life simpler for TfL when it comes to retiring its ageing fleets. When the lease is up, the trains will be returned to the new owner, saving TfL the hassle of storing and disposing of the units itself.

TfL said it plans to award the contract for new Piccadilly line trains in the first half of this year, but it hasn’t specified which trains it plans to sell and lease back.

Sale and leaseback may seem like an odd way of doing things to some people but, when money is tight, it can offer a realistic way to finance key upgrades.

Photo: Shutterstock.com

Highways England director moves to HS2

HS2 Ltd has appointed David Poole, Highways England’s former executive director for commercial and procurement, as its own procurement and supply chain director.

David will be responsible for for contracting, procurement, commercial assurance, governance and efficiency delivery across £3.5 billion a year of supply chain spending – including four new stations, railway systems and the state-of-the-art trains that will run on them.

Before David’s nine-year spell at Highways England, he was supply chain director at GE Aviation, leading their commercial and supply chain activity.

Hs2 Ltd CEO Mark Thurston said: “[David’s] experience of managing large-scale procurement and complex supply chains will be invaluable as we continue to recruit the contractors we need to deliver the railway on time and on budget.”

David Poole added: “HS2 will transform the experience of rail travel for huge numbers of people across the UK and provide a major boost to economic growth. I am excited to be joining the project at such an important time its development and look forward to getting started.”

David will be based at HS2 Ltd’s headquarters in Birmingham and report directly to the chief finance officer. He will take up his role in March.


Read more: Eurostar appoints new CEO


 

Eurostar appoints new CEO

Current Yodel CEO Mike Cooper has been appointed the new CEO of Eurostar.

Mike will succeed Nicolas Petrovic, who leaves to become CEO of Siemens France, on March 12, 2018.

Eurostar shareholders thanked Nicolas Petrovic for his “valued guidance and contribution” during his tenure, which has seen Eurostar introduce a new fleet of trains and extend its reach to new destinations.

Eurostar chair Clare Hollingsworth said: “We are delighted that Mike will be joining Eurostar as CEO as he brings a wealth of expertise to our business.

“With his strong track record of leading a major European transport business across multiple countries and his extensive experience of key consumer travel brands he is perfectly placed to lead the company into its next phase of growth.”


Read more: Finding the people to make HS2 happen


 

How Siemens’ equality, diversity and inclusion team is helping mind the gap

Companies across the rail sector are each finding their own way to ensure that the railway’s workforce is reflective of society at large. At the end of 2017, the industry set itself the target of increasing the number of women and black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) employees by 20 per cent. This was announced within a long-term rail partnership plan, which also emphasised the positive steps taken by Network Rail to ensure there is representation for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) employees in the sector.

The drive for equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) throughout Siemens Rail Automation is championed by the company’s managing director, Rob Morris, with EDI groups forming at each of the company’s principle offices throughout the UK.

Explaining the importance of these teams to the business, Rob Morris said: “Whilst diversity defines our mix of people, inclusion focuses on how we embed and develop a culture which enables us to perform at our best and to work together seamlessly.”

The EDI team at the company’s Birmingham office is a shining example of the work that is being undertaken company-wide. Under the leadership of senior project engineer and regional EDI champion Candiece Henry, the team has been actively promoting a wide range of activities, including raising the profile of both the Women in Engineering and International Men’s days as well as hosting a number of STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) events at local schools.

Ball Planning Committee: Samantha Zaman, Alison Taylor, Carol Dowe, Denise Copson, Claire Millson & Candiece .

To continue to raise awareness of these key subjects, the EDI team has engaged with a local primary school to support a three-year programme of STEM-based support, which includes sponsorship of mathematics software and a commitment from Siemens to attend career talks and subject-based workshops. Within the business, the group has organised a number of team-building activities, training programmes and health-related talks, with presentations from suppliers and industry-wide support organisations. To broaden engagement across the business, volunteers are also invited to chair the regular EDI planning and strategy meetings, providing people with an opportunity to help shape the group’s efforts and suggest topics for further exploration.

Charity ball

A particular focus of the team’s work this year has been to support its nominated charity, ‘Birmingham Mind’, by holding a series of fundraising events including the Siemens Rail Automation ‘Mind the Gap’ Charity Ball. Nearly 200 people attended the black-tie event at the Birmingham Council House in November, which provided an opportunity to celebrate funds raised of more than £23,000 to support the charity’s vital work in the area of mental health. In total this year, the company has contributed £24,072 to Birmingham Mind.

Having had its government funding cut earlier in the year, Mind relies heavily on donations to maintain its work. Speaking on behalf of the charity, Helen Wadley, chief executive of Birmingham Mind, said: “I’d like to thank all the team at Siemens, and in particular Candiece Henry and Denise Copson who were instrumental in organising the November ball, as well as a number of other activities – from a Christmas jumper day to a silent auction featuring amazing gifts. “The fantastic partnership with Siemens has been hugely beneficial for us. The company’s commitment to mental health and support for us as Charity of the Year has been superb, with this being the largest donation we have received from a single source. The funds raised will go back into our operation, to improve and continue running our mental health services for the Birmingham community.”

Jane Moore, head office manager and PA to the chief executive, added: “We were so pleased when we heard that Siemens was organising the ‘Mind the Gap’ ball to raise funds for Birmingham Mind.”

Candiece Henry continued: “Our EDI team was well aware that one in four people in the UK will experience a mental health problem each year, and so working with and helping to raise money for Mind has been a really worthwhile and rewarding focus for us this year.” “We have been supported at every step by both our operations director, West, Matt Kent and managing director, Rob Morris; both of whom were completely behind the charity ball to the extent that the business covered all the costs, so that every penny raised during the evening went directly to the charity.”

Powerful story

Those who attended the ball also heard a powerful testimonial from Darren Mahon, a former user of Mind’s services in Birmingham, who talked openly about his mental health battles. Darren thanked Birmingham Mind for giving him another chance in life and for their help in enabling him to turn his life around. With continued support from the Mind team in Birmingham, Darren went on to explain how he is now helping others to cope with their mental health issues.

Matt Kent summed up the role of the EDI group and the company’s association with Mind: “We are delighted to work so closely with this incredibly worthwhile charity, and to help support their invaluable work. I’d like to thank everyone who contributed to the success of the event and of course, to everyone who made a donation. “Whilst this was the main event, there have been a whole host of activities taking place within Siemens to raise money for Mind. From the Three Peaks Challenge undertaken by our Birmingham New Street Project Team, to sponsored slimming, card games and ‘walkathons’. I’m extremely proud of those who has given up their time and talents to make a difference to the lives of others.

“The EDI working group has achieved a huge amount in a short space of time, with the team carrying out a lot of its activities outside normal working hours. Not only have we been able to support Birmingham Mind, but importantly the group’s activities have united the office and helped break down some of the unconscious barriers which may have existed.”