Railway Mission News 2019 Issue 2

Support on life’s journey

RMNews Issue 2 2019

www.railwaymission.org

RMNews Support on life’s journey

www.railwaymission.org

Railway Mission Rugby Railway Station Rugby • CV21 3LA

info@railwaymission.org

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From the top

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Decade but not decayed

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Outstanding service award for Michele Ashton • Emergency Services Show

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You can save a life!

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Reflection on working two shifts with BTP

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Keeping our eyes on the future

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A living faith

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Chaplains’ News & Prayer

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IRM Conference details

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Your donation takes us further

07718971919

Front cover picture by L Johnston of a steam locomotive at the Nene Valley Railway.

Railway Mission is a registered charity in England and Wales (1128024) and in Scotland SC045897).

A company limited by guarantee in England and Wales (06519565)

Railway Mission

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Challenging times It is with tremendous heartfelt sorrow that that Railway Mission has found that we are in such a difficult financial situation.

The Trustees and I had planned and anticipated that the income from our investment in fundraising would by now be achieving better results. The reality is that we have had a financial shortfall in the last financial year of -£115k. The main reasons for this have been the ending of the £120k transitional funding from LCM and £30k from a trust.

This shortfall could have been greater, if not for two generous legacies.

The Trustees and I felt and still believe that taking on the southern chaplaincy from LCM was the correct thing to do. So many charities are competing for fewer resources. To compensate for the decrease in income the Board took the step of removing the dedicated chaplaincy from the London Underground and has divided the tube Support on life’s journey

From the Top

network up between the chaplains that come into the main London terminals.

Ruth McBean retired. John Robinson left to look after his first grandchild and Dylis George took on his chaplaincy on Southeastern.

Sadly, we’ve had two redundancies, Dan Godwin and Richard Cook, with Richard taking voluntary redundancy. Sadly shortly after that decision, Anne, Richard’s wife, was called to be with the Lord after a long and heart-breaking struggle with cancer. We hold Richard in our thoughts and prayer.

Yes, we face an uncertain time, but hold to the truth that ‘we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.’

Romans 8:28 (ESV) Not everything is good, but all things work together for good. Please pray for the Mission’s team, for those with uncertain futures, and pray for those who have left the mission.

Liam Johnston is the Executive Director of Railway Mission

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Decade but Andrew Hall writes: On 11th May 2009, I met up with Liam Johnston at Birmingham New Street for my first day as a Railway Chaplain. It seems like a lifetime ago, so much has changed in that decade!

On a personal note my three daughters got married. I now have seven grandchildren and have had a heart attack, not that there is necessarily a connection.

Change on the railway has been just as dramatic. My twenty-odd leverframe signal boxes have dwindled to a total of, well, none. Other than the centre panel at New St, the same is true of my power boxes too. I seem to be between a hard place and a ROC....... Franchises have been lost and won, liveries and uniforms have changed, personnel have come and gone. As David Bowie sang 'changes, turn and face the strange’; some of the changes that occur can seem strange indeed.

For me, one significant change has been the opportunity to be a regional manager within Railway Mission. This has, of course, meant an increased workload but that is compensated for

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t not decayed by being able to share in the work of colleagues across Wales, Scotland and a large swathe of England. Again, in this time I have seen colleagues leave for various reasons, some to retire and some to new ventures and I have seen many new people join our ranks. One downside to this (for me) is that a decade ago I was one of the younger ones. Now I am one of the older ones. It has been and remains a privilege to work with these men and women of God on an ever changing railway.

The core business is the same, there is the same personal commitment to service amongst staff, but their working environment is getting harder. Economic forces have, in many cases, reduced the number of staff whilst the workload, at best, remains the same. There are new technologies, changing systems and practices, revised management structures and a steady rise in the number of people travelling. There is the ever-present threat of fatalities and the trauma and disruption they bring. Additionally, as it seems that society, in general, is hardening there is an escalation of verbal abuse both face to face and by social media.

Support on life’s journey

Physical abuse is also on the rise.

These pressures weigh heavily on the railway family. As with society at large, mental health problems abound.

This increasingly convinces me that the Railway Chaplaincy is more needed now than ever before.

Obviously, we have the same remit to bring the gospel into the railway workplace as we always have done since 1881. The changed environment and changes in society have provided more opportunities for the gospel: The gospel that is patient and kind.

The gospel that does not envy or boast and is not proud. The gospel that does not dishonour others, is not self-seeking or easily angered. The gospel that keeps no record of wrongs. The gospel that always protects, always trusts, hopes and perseveres. The gospel that does not pounce on evil but rejoices with the truth. The gospel of love. The gospel of peace.

Andrew Hall (pictured: the one with all the badges!) is Railway Mission Area Manager for the North and chaplain to the West Midlands

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Outstanding service award for Michele Ashton STM, one of the companies that supplies staff to the railway industry, has given Michele an award for ‘outstanding service to the company’.

This is the first time this award has been given to someone from outside the STM family, recognising the work Michele does in supporting their staff over and above the call of duty; as part of the award STM also presented Railway Mission with £250.

Michele is pictured above with Key Accounts Director Stephanie Anderson and former CEO Perry Simpson.

Railway Mission

The Emergency Services Show 2019 Railway Mission will be at the Emergency Services Show from 18-19 September at the NEC in Birmingham, and we are grateful for this opportunity to have a stand ‘free of charge.’

If you work in or are interested in any of our emergency services you can visit the show free of charge by registering at…

www.emergencyuk.com Pictured above at a previous show are Railway Mission Chaplains Andrew Hall and Chris Henley, with Executive Director Liam Johnston, all in yellow BTP Chaplain Hi-Vis, with staffer Anne McCulloch.

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You can save a life!

A recent article in the Liverpool Echo about Mike Roberts, explained how in his area there have been 37 railway suicides in just nine months.

Mike, like the other chaplains, has spent time supporting railway staff and members of the public affected by the traumatic aftermath of suicides on the railway. The shocking reality is that in his area, there’s an average of more than one suicide each week. “The youngest person was 13 and the oldest 82" explains Mike.

While working in church ministry, Mike came across one suicide in 12 years but he said he could never imagine the impact they could have until now.

"The impact is huge, not just for those whose friends and family members lose their lives, but

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for those who, sadly, witness it; the railway staff and emergency services.”

"People taking their own lives is accepted as something that is part and parcel of working on the railway but it is something no-one can ever prepare for."

"I would appeal to passengers to be aware of others around them, to reach out to people who might look lost, who don’t seem OK.” “You can save a life!”

In 2018 there were 340 railway suicides, including on underground and tram systems.

For Mental Health Awareness week in October, Railway Mission, BTP, Network Rail and the NHS will be holding the RUOK? Campaign again on the Midland route at points from London to Leeds, encouraging passengers to ask friends, family, colleagues or anyone they meet ‘are you okay today?’

Be a friend.

Just ask.

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Reflection on working two shifts with BTP After a very kind invitation from an officer at BTP, I spent 25 hours last month, spread over two days, accompanying them as they patrolled around the areas. Some of this was proactive, some of it reactive, but all of it was active!

We attended, or were involved with, incidents ranging from a stabbing to a shooting, to a person on the track. A fire, a break-in at a school, public disorder, and a late-night stop for possibly the worst kebab I’ve ever eaten (I was warned in advance by the Sergeant about this!)

Sometimes we would drive around doing a general sweep of the local areas, but a lot of the time was spent on blue lights, responding to Railway Mission

Andrea Smyth is chaplain for North London, including London Overground and Chiltern

incidents of various levels of seriousness.

The two officers talked to many people on those shifts. They were firm but fair with offenders, they were compassionate with the vulnerable, and we all joked in between whiles about having to keep the car windows open due to the repercussions of the aforementioned kebabs.

On the one hand, they took their jobs very seriously: on the other, there was a lot of banter.

There was one incident in particular where I had a certain amount of involvement.

On the first night, we received a phone call that there was a young woman lying on the track at a station.

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Andrea Smyth’s two nights with the blue lights Turning on the blue lights ,we sped to the location. The three of us got out of the car and saw a young woman walking away from the station entrance. A Network Rail Mobile Operations Manager (MOM) came to meet us, pointed to the young woman, and said, “that’s her.”

Apparently, she had been seen by the MOM lying very close to the track. A train had been approaching, but had seen her, and stopped in time.

Approaching the woman, one officer spoke to her briefly, and called me over. I took her to the police car and we sat in the back talking quietly. It turned out that she had been at a meeting then gone for some drinks afterwards with friends, but didn’t remember anything after that. We all thought that her drink had been spiked, particularly as she had lost her memory and had no recollection of lying on the railway track.

She told us her address, and we took her home to her very worried husband.

I have told you this story, not because I think it is particularly unusual in the life of a BTP officer, but because I think it demonstrates some of the qualities required to do this type of work, and very often these are qualities we read about in our bibles, as being displayed by Jesus, the apostle Paul, and others.

Support on life’s journey

The officers responded swiftly; they showed care for a vulnerable woman; they delegated tasks; they showed concern for family members; they showed patience and love in how they treated people (although it might take an outsider to point that out to them); and, they displayed a sense of duty and responsibility towards and for those in their care.

I suppose that what I have taken away from my 25 hours spent with the BTP is how much it is about serving other people and being willing to do whatever task is required to carry out your duty fully.

There must be many times during a shift when an officer thinks to themselves, I never realised being a police officer would mean I had to do X. Some of the tasks are very humble, some are heavily welfare orientated; certainly not all are related to fighting crime.

For this reason, it is impossible to stereotype a police officer, and those in the media who do so have little understanding of the role. This is what I would like to do as a chaplain – to help fight against those stereotypes, whilst continuing to support these brave, compassionate, and very human men and women as much as I am able.

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Keeping our eyes on the future Clock Photo by Tom Swinnen from Pexels

It was once thought that nothing much changes on the railways of Britain, but in recent times this is proving to be a notion of the past.

Around five years ago I invited Mark Carne, then the CEO of Network Rail, to the first of a series of leadership talks at the Quadrant:MK, Headquarters for Network Rail. He chose to outline his vision for the organisation, based on three key areas; a digital railway, a safe railway, and a railway where diversity and inclusion becomes the norm. It’s true to say that these goals are very much part of the evolving railway of today, but what is our role in that railway, and what can we look forward to as part of a developing industry?

A Digital Railway: There is little doubt that Railway Mission has to continually review its place in the rail environment. The move towards a digital railway has gradually shifted staff towards centralised offices and control centres. This means we have Railway Mission

to be more involved with staff who are engaged in the operational processes of rail companies, including directorial and managerial staff. We are as much chaplains to decision makers as to those who make it happen. We will always have a place amongst the gateline and ground staff as long as they are still part of the railways, and, of course, amongst the crucial depot and rail infrastructure staff, but many decisions are now being made away from the tracks. Even signal centres are being digitised and centralised, so we have to locate these hubs and make ourselves known to staff.

A Safe Railway: We have a great opportunity to work with companies on their safety standards and issues.

This is one of our areas of expertise.

We are working towards being the main post-incident support provider for British Transport Police, Network Rail, and Train Operating Companies, for whom we also provide welfare support and pastoral care. One big change for us, in this regard, is becoming a service provider. We will RMNews

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by Steve Rowe

always be a charity, but we have had to step up into the exciting world of service provision. This means we have to tender for contracts with some rail organisations, necessitating a higher degree of demonstrable accountability to the industry. This is actually a good thing for several reasons, one being accountability, and another the quantifying, in demographic terms, of our support to the industry. For chaplains this means providing an accurate measure of the excellent support we provide. It’s been a learning curve for chaplains, but we are gradually showing our added worth to the industry through the reporting systems we have in place.

An Inclusive Railway: We shouldn’t be afraid of the rapid move towards diversity and inclusion policies in the industry. It is important to be aware of the measures companies are putting into place to ensure a safe and fair workplace. From a faith perspective it gives us the guarantee of being able to operate freely within the industry provided we are aware Support on life’s journey

that we cannot ourselves proselytise aggressively. We have to be circumspect and respectful as guests in the rail environment without losing our faith perspective, but, in this regard, we can also show ourselves to be welcome contributors, and even be seen as an essential part of a growing and diverse rail fraternity.

Through our outstanding heritage, chaplaincy is a respected profession.

With patience, opportunities to share faith will come.

One thing in life we should all learn is that change is inevitable. The best way of coping with change is to be a change agent, a person who sees the issues and delivers the solutions. We are, according to scripture, prophetic people. We can see ahead. The past was great, but here’s no place for living there, except to thank God for bringing us this far, and to use what went before as a springboard for the future.

Steve Rowe is Railway Mission Area Manager for London & the South

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Directors, Shareholders, and the General Managers are just beginning to learn in this country, what the American Managers found out many years ago, that Railway Missions are good things…

Down the line

A living faith …doing the will of God from your heart. Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not men...’

Ephesians 6:6-7 (NIV)

Both Scripture and the Mission’s journal The Railway Signal emphasised the calling of Christians to honour God in the workplace. The lives of Christians were expected to preach the gospel by behaviour as well as speech. I have taken my examples from the first thirty years of the Mission’s existence.

In 1884 Mrs Payne of Cambridge challenged the Annual Meeting with this exhortation: “We want to have that holy influence in our lives, that our lives may preach more than our words.” The qualities of those lives would be seen by fellow workers, and their managers, as highlighted in 1883.

Railway Mission

‘Directors, Shareholders, and the General Managers are just beginning to learn in this country, what the American Managers found out many years ago, that Railway Missions are good things. Real Christ men make better servants. We pray, and therefore expect, that our Mission will soon hold its right place in Great Britain.’

At the turn of the twentieth century many senior managers in the rail industry were enthusiastic Christians. At the Annual Scottish Conference in 1906 ‘... the General Manager of the North British Railway, gave a stirring address, expressing his deep interest in the work of the Railway Mission, and urging on the members a bold and faithful confession of Christ in their lives day by day.’

Edwin Cox, Superintendent of the South East and Chatham Railway, had

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Historian Dudley Clark takes us down memory lane once again… been secretary of the New Cross (SE) Branch, who had ‘thrown himself into the work with enthusiasm and devotion’. When he moved away from London ‘his interest in the Branch and in the general work of the Mission [had] not lessened.’

Speaking at an anniversary of the Brighton Branch; The Station Superintendent ‘esteemed it a great privilege to be able to stand and speak a few words in praise to God for what Mrs Gates had been privileged to do among the railwaymen. Men’s lives had been changed, they were better able to do their work and their homes were far happier.’

James Fuller had risen from porter to inspector and came to be known as ‘Happy Jim’ due to: ‘His bright face and cheering words...His life on the line recommended the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, and in the midst of difficult and trying work our brother proved that it was possible to serve God faithfully and well.’

Over this period there were frequent encouragements for Christian railwaymen to live out their faith and thankfulness for the response. At the opening of the Ely Mission Hall Mrs

Support on life’s journey

Brown from Cambridge ‘...urged the railwaymen to let their light shine at their work, and to seek, not only in the Mission Hall, but on the railway to lead their mates to Jesus.’

Finally wise words from Mrs Gates superintendent at Brighton: “The world does not read the Bible, but it reads the Christian.”

Dudley Clark is a Railway Mission historian and a regular contributor to RM News

Edwin Cox

James Fuller (Happy Jim)

Railway Mission has provided consistent, impartial, confidential support to the rail industry since 1881

www.railwaymission.org

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Remembering the fallen Every year, Railway Mission chaplains lead numerous acts of remembrance across the rail network.

These events are not just restricted to November and in the North West a number of events took place where the railway family remembered tragic events and sacrifice that has shaped the stories of stations, depots and rail companies.

Manchester Bombing Two years on from the horrific bombing of May 2017 the stations across Manchester paused for a time of silent reflection with station staff, British Transport Police, first responders from the original evening and families gathering throughout the day. Acts of remembrance were

Railway Mission

held at 11:00am, 2.30pm and 10.31pm at Piccadilly and Victoria stations.

Our chaplain in the North West, Mike Roberts, said, “it was an incredibly poignant moment. A large number of the staff and police officers were on duty at the time or immediately after and it was a really fitting tribute with normally busy and bustling stations falling silent to remember.�

Newton Heath Memorial In June, the depot at Newton Heath in Manchester looked further back and remembered those who served and those who died in the First World War. The original war memorial, lost for decades and discovered in the undercroft of Piccadilly Station, has been restored and families, rail workers and the media gathered for a

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service of dedication which the Railway Mission was asked to lead.

Painstaking restoration and involvement from the Railway Heritage Trust and Northern have seen this memorial brought back to the heart of the depot, with the Lancashire and Yorkshire railway memorial sitting proudly at the end of the maintenance shed, paying tribute to the 117 men who went to serve and died, and the thousands of others who went and were deeply affected by conflict.

Mike said, in the service, “we gather as people who look back with gratitude, at those who have served and given so much, we stand today as people who remember and will not forget, and we look forward to a hope of a world without war, and a world where we will tell our children and our children’s children of the stories and the people of whom we pay tribute today.”

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In November, as part of the season of remembrance we will see services again in both of these locations, for the story of the railway is being continually shaped and told, and we will remember those before us.

Mike Roberts is chaplain for the North West including Manchester.

Pictured above, left:Mike Roberts with the bugler next to the restored memorial at Newton Heath.

Above top: Offciers and staff remember the Manchester Bombings, Manchester Picadilly Above lower: Flag bearers at Newton Heath

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Chaplains’ news & prayer

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News, prayer requests and information from Railway Mission chaplains in the field

Andrew Hall Area Manager North West Midlands Area

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e have had significant staffing changes in both the industry and Railway Mission, over the last few months.

Whilst they give opportunity to engage with new people and people we know in different ways, these changes can be refreshing but tinged with sadness when people to whom we relate move on. As Alan says in his piece; this teaches us that we are all a link in the chain of another’s journey.

Staff changes in the Mission bring their own sadness and challenge. We have seen three people move on recently in the north. This will increase the workload for the rest of us. Please pray that we can manage these changes and learn to discern which paths to follow in order to be effective for the Kingdom.

Ralph Coleman Birmingham Snow Hill

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have been covering part of the West Midlands Area for six months. I’m finding it so different to the East Midlands.

Railway Mission

Stations are generally smaller and in a lot of cases just one person on duty at any one time. Several of the stations have undergone extensive refurbishment recently, upgrading ticket offices and cafes.

Please pray for the staff as they adjust to working in their new environments.

Despite fewer staff many of them are dealing with similar life issues. Pray that I can bring hope, comfort and support to those that I come into regular contact with.

Alan Thorpe Bristol Temple Meads

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e are all links in a chain. I was recently asked to officiate at a funeral and as I met with the family to make the arrangements, I discovered there was a railway connection as the man's career had been with British Rail.

The man had been influenced by chaplaincy during his career, so the daughter was delighted that a chaplain was to take his funeral.

Although the man had retired over 20 years ago that early Mission contact was a reminder that we are all involved in a bigger picture, and the importance of maintaining a bright Christian witness.

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Chaplains’ news & prayer Mike Roberts Manchester & the North Area

with so many gifted volunteers - and to receive such positive feedback. Railway chaplaincy is like having a ‘church’ on the rail network because people value our spiritual support knowing that we care for them.

H

aving taken on a vastly extended area of coverage, I’ve picked up the 'new chaplain' hat again as I go around meeting and introducing myself to staff.

Pray that I learn how best to be a chaplain across this huge area, where there can be so many fatalities.

Summer events put pressure on staff, and it helps to spend time working alongside them. Ask God that He will be with us in each cup of coffee shared, cake eaten, and conversation shared.

It’s a big challenge to balance work and relationship in both my familiar and extended areas, but I am more aware than ever of the privileged position we hold on the rail network and the opportunity this presents.

Derek Grant Aberdeen

Hannah Tuck Cardiff Central • Chester

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am now covering all of Wales and the Marches and the challenges are very different to before.

Give thanks for good relationships with Transport for Wales and Network Rail in the areas I have covered since I started. I have begun to build some good relationships in North Wales. Please pray for chances to develop these relationships with staff on the North Wales coast.

Please pray that I can offer support in a number of complex cases in personal lives of staff and also for a large number of staff who are going through changes at the moment with their job as Network Rail teams go through reorganisation.

Angela Harwood

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n April I had a wonderful time with retired railway personnel at the British Transport Pensioners Federation in Aberdeen.

However, I did not expect to be conducting the funeral service, in June, of one of their members who was such an inspirational person. In May I was able to organise our first rural train conversation café from Inverness to Kyle of Lochalsh during Mental Health Awareness Week.

In fact, it was so encouraging to work Support on life’s journey

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York • Kings Cross

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ooking over my diary for the last few months the word ‘support’ features on most pages and usually more than once.

As chaplains a major part of our time is given over to providing support for those working in the railway industry at all RMNews

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Chaplains’ news & prayer levels and all circumstances, from illness to bereavement, relationship problems, work issues and everything in-between.

I recently had a railway worker tell me that he was forever grateful for the support given by a chaplain twenty years ago.

The issues people face are real, the need is ever increasing, and we aim to bring the love and peace of God into these situations both practically and spiritually. Please continue to pray for us as we encounter these needs daily.

David Hardy Gloucester

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erhaps our most difficult duty to fulfil is to follow up rail fatalities.

I have recently been working on a case with Steve Cosslett involving members of the railway family. This came as a shock to family, friends and colleagues alike.

How difficult it is to try to make sense of such a tragedy and to try to bring hope in that situation.

Apart from 'being there' all we can really do is pray for God's peace and healing power to touch those who sorrow.

F

or information on how to support our chaplains, go to… www.railwaymission.org

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Helen Bartlett Newcastle-upon-Tyne

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t’s good to be back! On January 17 I had an unexpected stroke.

A few months ago, I shared about resourcing ourselves as an essential part of our ‘living’. I have been focused on the healing of my body over the last months... we must be vigilant about our own wellbeing.

I have discovered that the pressures on the railway have not gone away, fatalities still occur far too often (one of my first jobs was to cover one....) many of the staff are happy and sometimes sad.

The railway and journeys go on, we need to be mindful of one another. Thank you for letting me recover.

Graham Whitehead Glasgow • Edinburgh

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e don’t always realise how many people are putting a brave face on their troubles.

Sometimes, it is only by being vulnerable ourselves that we are able to help free them to open up to their own vulnerabilities.

Chaplains don’t always have their lives entirely sorted any more than the next person, nor are they immune from the difficulties of life, so it can be liberating for people we support to know that we all have issues to deal with. For chaplains, as

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Chaplains’ news & prayer for all who trust Him, it is God who helps us overcome all circumstances.

I thank God for the innumerable conversations I have had this year which stemmed from revealed personal challenges, and I ask your prayers for everyone struggling in their lives (particularly with grief), that God would continue to use our empathy with others to display His love.

Colin Fraser Derby • Leicester • St Pancras International

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which won’t change a great deal. On the Underground, where we’ve hitherto had two dedicated chaplains, we’ll now have up to six. Whilst we’ll be mostly covering post-incident support for first responders on the Underground, we will also have an opportunity to meet staff and build new relationships.

So far, our chaplains have been greeted warmly, which bodes well, but it is an extra workload for some, so please pray for strength, energy and opportunity to be effective as they step into this new role.

Andrea Smyth

I

am grateful for the wisdom that theHoly Spirit brings as it really enables me to do my job as chaplain effectively.

In a few cases recently I have sat down with staff who have shared complex issues.

The Holy Spirit brought clarity and prompting in what questions to ask. This resulted in people gaining a clearer perspective of their situation.

Please pray for us as chaplains to be constantly relying on the Holy Spirit and not just our own understanding.

Steve Rowe Area Manager for London & the South

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e’ve begun a fresh initiative for working with Transport for London (TfL) by assigning areas of the Overground and Underground to various chaplains.

We’ve had a strong presence on London Overground for some time, Support on life’s journey

London North & Chiltern

O

ne of the Train Operators has seen several drivers leaving and sometimes tensions have been high at the depot.

However, just this Monday I bumped into five new trainee drivers and was told there were, additionally, a further seven.

Please pray for the Lord’s blessing on these trainees, who are of varying ages, experience, and ability. And that they will enjoy the very distinctive culture of that train operator.

Please also pray for their union reps, who are a tremendous support to the drivers; that they will be able to manage their workload.

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Chaplains’ news & prayer Steve Cosslett South West Area

I

was at our Railway Mission conference at the end of March when news starting filtering through that a 23-yearold member of staff took their own life.

The layers of complexity and tragedy run extremely deep with this incident and here I am three-months later still picking up the pieces; a broken family; members of staff off sick; meetings about the lessons than can be learnt and an inquest coming up to support the family, GWR and BTP through. I’d value prayer for everyone affected, especially for the railway community in and around Exeter who are still coming to terms with what happened.

Christopher Henley South West London & Wessex Area

T

his has been a tremendous time of encouragement. We chaplains have the opportunity to talk to so many railway staff and passengers.

However, I do speak, on a regular basis, to rough sleepers at some of the stations I look after. By learning their names, we have the beginnings of a relationship.

Recently a number of station staff have said that due to our chats some rough sleepers have found the confidence to ‘move on’. Some are now in regular night shelters and trying to turn things around.

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I am not the only chaplain that gives this support. My prayer is that our Train Operating Companies support Railway Mission so that we may support rough sleepers to ‘move on.’ We need your prayers and funding in order that we may do more to help those in need.

Dylis George Southeastern Area

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n April 2019 I changed areas to Southeastern trains, with a reduced role on London Underground. As a result, I have experienced a reinvention of my role which has been exciting and fulfilling.

This change has granted me more opportunities to engage and support both the senior management and staff members of Southeastern trains and Network Rail. I have also seen a significant change to the British Transport Police Stations that I support.

This move has been productive and fruitful thus far. For this I continue to covet your prayers.

It’s always a joy to receive calls from staff members seeking chaplaincy support. Areas of support range from work challenges to personal and family issues. Please pray that more doors will be opened while I seek to stand with staff on their life's journey. I have a simple but very profound message 'It’s very good to talk - Just call'.

www.railwaymission.org RMNews

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Chaplains’ news & prayer John Roe London North West & the South West

D

uring my first year as a Railway Mission chaplain, I have been impressed and inspired by the dedication and flexible working of staff across the rail industry.

With the accelerating rate of technological advancements, accompanied by changes to working roles and practices, and in certain areas, concerns for job security, I am coming across many staff who are harbouring fears for their futures.

Please pray for sensitivity in the support and hope we offer, in the name of the One in whom 'perfect love casts out all fear.'

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Railway Mission in a fantastic way.

Donations over £4,250 have been received.

If you would like to support this wonderful challenge and Railway Mission, you can find details at our website: www.railwaymission.org. Go to ‘Scott’s pier to pier challenge’ for links.

Support our chaplains…

Michele Ashton London North & Anglia Area

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hat a wonderful time I have had with the Pier to Pier challenge.

Brighton pier to Cromer pier over two days calling at Liverpool street, Cambridge, King's Lynn and Wells -nextthe-Sea on the way.

Scott completed the challenge he set himself on June 15. It wasn't without its challenges though. Scott had trained throughout the winter; experiencing extreme weather conditions.

After not being on a bike for ten years he knew he had to put the work in. The challenge has opened up the work of Support on life’s journey

Your prayer and financial support help us go further RMNews

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IRM Conference Join us this year in the Netherlands at the Congress Centre de Verelt in Lunteren for the 2019 IRM Conference.

Meet missioners from around the globe who are supporting rail workers with the good news, and enjoy the option of staying on for a train excursion into the historic city of Amsterdam.

August 2-9 Lunteren, Netherlands more info

www.railway-mission.net

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1. Congress Centre grounds 2. IRM Board & Representatives

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3. Amsterdam Rijksmuseum

Railway Mission

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Six ways to help us support rail staff…

Cheque or Postal Order

A one-off or regular donation by cheque or postal order sent to: Railway Mission, Rugby Railway Station, Rugby, CV21 3LA.

Standing Order

A one-off or regular donation through your bank. Email our Administrator for more information… office@railwaymission.org

Web Donation

A one off or regular donation through our website. Visit www.railwaymission.org, and click on the Donate page, where you will find easy to follow directions.

Wills & Legacy

To include us in your will, our charity name is Railway Mission, our charity number in England & Wales is 1128024, and in Scotland is SCO45897.

Gift Aid as an extra

UK taxpayers can claim an extra 25% on donations via HMRC, as long as you meet their conditions and complete, sign and return a Gift Aid form to us.

Payroll Giving*

Because every donation is taken from your gross pay, every pound you give will only cost you 80p, or only 60p if you are a higher rate tax-payer.

*For more information on Payroll Giving, go to:

www.railwaymission.org/donate

Support on life’s journey Support on life’s journey

www.railwaymission.org

in partnership with

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They were there when I needed someone to talk to

Support on life’s journey www.railwaymission.org

in partnership with