Railway Mission News Autumn 2015

 

Three days in Scotland Down the line Our new look Train company boss interview

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news Autumn 2015

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Cover photo Railway chaplain Steve Rowe chats with East Midlands Trains’ Station Liaison Supervisor Allan Hilton at London St Pancras. Allan had just returned to work after a period of leave to undergo treatment for cancer.

“I think what you do to support rail staff is great,” Allan told Steve.

The image, captured by London photographer Patrick Harrison, will be the cover of Railway Mission’s new publicity flyer.

From the top

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Our new look

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New faces complete our line-up

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IRM plans 2016 conference

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Down the line

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On a mission from India

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Train company boss interview

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To the moon and back

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Three days in Scotland

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Patrick Butcher leadership talk

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Remembrance services

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Over to you!

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Published by Railway Mission Editor: Rachel Dalby Design: Steve Rowe Photography: Liam Johnston unless otherwise indicated

New look calendars and Christmas cards

2016

Support

on life's jo urney

Order yours now & support your chaplains A4 Calendars are £5 each Send a cheque with an A4 SAE & large letter stamp Cards are £6.50 (incl postage) per pack of ten email: office@railwaymission.org post: Railway Mission, Rugby Railway Station, Rugby, Warwickshire, CV21 3LA web: www.railwaymission.org administrator: 07718 971919

from the top Liam Johnston When I was 14, my parents bought the shop in Hipswell Village. Built by one of the neighbours, Mr Catt, it was a modest two-bedroom bungalow with a shop front that was in need of a little renovation.

A plumbing engineer destroyed three drill bits before giving up and returning the next day with far more powerful equipment. He’d only managed to drill through the plaster and not into the brickwork to fit our new radiators!

Our neighbour, Mr Catt, explained that he’d built the house with reclaimed Staffordshire blue bricks from a disused and demolished viaduct. There was incredible strength in each of those bricks, and, when built together in our house walls, that strength was magnified.

We have chosen the symbol of a viaduct for our new Railway Mission logo. To us, a viaduct is more than just a railway bridge.

It’s a metaphor for who we are and what we do. Each individual chaplain, trustee, office

worker and you – our supporter – is cemented into a viaduct that conveys the care and compassion we have for railway people. And the strength and stability of the whole is far greater than that of a single person. We can’t do what we do without your support.

“I looked for someone among them who would build up the wall and stand before me in the gap on behalf of the land…” (Ezekiel 22:30b).

The viaduct of Railway Mission stands in the gap for the people of the railway industry. Across that viaduct comes the train of hope, and everyone has a ticket to ride. Together we are stronger, and with your continued support we can do even more.

Liam Johnston is the Executive Director of Railway Mission

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OUR NEW LOOK Marketing and Fundraising Officer Rachel Dalby explains the thinking behind our new branding

We’re very humbled by Railway Mission’s long and impactful history.

Photo: Robin Arnold, Creative Director at 22 Group speaks with London Underground Chaplain Dylis George

With our roots going back to the 1880s, with Christians taking God’s word to navvies in various parts of the UK before coming under the Railway Mission banner, we’re one of the nation’s oldest Christian charities.

After much prayer and searching for a good designer who could work with us on a small budget, we began work with Robin Arnold and his colleagues at 22 Group in Manchester.

It’s our history, and the way Railway Mission has continually evolved to respond to God’s calling in changing times, that led us to recently review how we engage with modern-day workers.

Rail staff were telling us that they valued our chaplains’ support. But few understood that rail chaplains were employed by Railway Mission. It also became apparent that our branding (our logo and the style of our publicity materials) wasn’t conveying the message we wanted to give, particularly to new generations.

Image: Patrick Harrison for 22 Group.

Over recent months, we’ve researched and consulted with those we want to reach, and worked on a new look for Railway Mission. Choosing a ‘look’ that would stand us in good stead for many years, that would appeal to all types of people – young and old – and would not clash with other brands in the industry, demanded great skill on Robin’s part.

We’re very pleased to reveal our new look in this month’s magazine. You’ll notice that our new logo encompasses a viaduct – a sign of our charity’s (and of God’s) unfailing strength, stability and support.

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The viaduct also hints at bridging the gap between people and God. The R and the M of our name are subtly incorporated, using colour in the first section of the bridge. And there’s a sense of being on a journey – life’s journey – with a stripe representing a train crossing the viaduct.

We’re certain that this fresh and friendlylooking logo, which will appear on all our future materials, will give a sense that, while we’re an historic charity, we’re up-to-date

Support on life’s journey with the trials of modern living. Of course our mission – to take God’s word into people’s lives through supporting them through thick and thin – remains the same as it has for over 130 years.

To reflect this, we’ve adopted a new strapline, ‘Support on life’s journey’, and we’ll be using more story-telling (in words and in pictures) to illustrate how we make a difference to rail workers, their families and the travelling public.

Please pray that our new look will help us to engage with even more people on the railways in

England, Scotland and Wales.

Are you giving as you shop yet?

With Christmas on the horizon there’s an easy way to make an extra donation to Railway Mission, just by shopping through a free online service.

Give As You Live (GAYL) is a gateway to over 4,000 online stores, including Amazon, eBay, Tesco, John Lewis, M&S, Sainsbury’s and Debenhams.

By signing up and shopping via GAYL’s website, the stores you use make a donation to Railway Mission every time you shop.

It costs nothing to subscribe to the popular service, which is run by Everyclick Ltd and has been in operation for several years.

Please visit www.giveasyoulive.com/ join/therailwaymission to sign up today.

Please remember that donations can only be earned for Railway Mission when you click through to a retailer’s website from a link on the GAYL Shopping Bar or Website.

New faces complete our line-up The recent arrival of four new staff has completed our new-look chaplaincy team Angela Levitt-Harwood (left) and Helen Bartlett have joined our Northern chaplaincy team

Angela Levitt-Harwood, Christopher Henley, Dan Godwin and Helen Bartlett have just completed their induction with us, and are now working hard to take God’s love and care to rail employees.

He followed in the footsteps of his late father, who, as Royal Embalmer, looked after the bodies of King George VI, Queen Mary, Sir Winston Churchill, and many celebrities.

Murder-mystery novel fan Angela (53) is no stranger to railways, as her home overlooks a rail freight line in York! She is serving rail staff as chaplain for Yorkshire and Humberside, centred on York Station.

After travelling extensively, Christopher and his wife, Sroythip, settled in Chiswick, where Christopher is an active member of St Michael's Church. He is serving rail staff in Cambridgeshire and East Anglia, and is based at Liverpool Street Station.

With previous experience as a retail chaplain, and of working in the funeral business, Angela has a passion for caring for people going through difficulties. She has two grown-up children and worships at York Elim church.

Dan (39) has felt since a young age that God was calling him into ministry, and he was a church pastoral assistant before joining us as a chaplain to the London Underground.

Christopher (57), is a railway heritage enthusiast and Fulham football supporter.

Like Angela, he also worked in funeral care, running a firm specialising in the repatriation of bodies from overseas.

He, too, has a great deal of experience in getting alongside people, having worked in education, social care and with a charity for homeless people.

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IRM plans 2016 conference The International Railway Mission (IRM) is planning a trip to northern Germany’s highest point for people attending its 2016 conference.

Delegates meeting in the picturesque town of Goslar will be treated to a steam train journey up the 3,743 ft-high Brocken in the Harz Mountains.

Christopher Henley

Dan Godwin

Dan is a steam train enthusiast, and in his spare time he entertains friends with lighthearted conjuring tricks. He was diagnosed with mild Ataxic Cerebral Palsy as a boy, and has, with God’s grace, overcome difficulties carrying out tasks that many people take for granted. Dan attends Christ Church (Waterside) in Chesham.

Keen vegetable gardener Helen (57) is our new chaplain for the Northeast, covering the Tyne and Wear area as far north as Berwick-Upon-Tweed. She previously counselled college students and hospice patients and their families.

Helen loves good food and travelling, and is married to the Revd Canon Dr Alan Bartlett, a non-residented Canon at Durham Cathedral. The couple have two grown-up children, Ben, who works in Congo for Tearfund, and Anna, who is at university.

Please pray that the Lord will use our new chaplains to make a real difference to many lives.

Railway Mission Support

07718 971918

Our London Chaplain, Steve Rowe, heard about the plans at IRM’s annual General Assembly held at the historic Achtermann Hotel in Goslar a few weeks ago. He was there on behalf of our IRM Representative, Ian Markey, who is one of our trustees.

IRM encourages pastoral care for rail staff across the globe, connecting nations’ own rail missionaries with one another. It supports Christian evangelists in many European countries as well as in India, South Africa, New Zealand, the USA and Canada.

Steve said, “There was a lot to talk about, as people from around the world are expected at the conference from 28th July to 4th August.

“IRM President Ueli Berger, of Switzerland, thanked outgoing committee members Elisabeth Andreetti, Dietmar Strunk and John Lunn for their outstanding work with IRM.” You – our supporters – are invited to attend next summer’s conference. For booking information and prices, please email the IRM at: irm@railway-mission.net

Picture: Creative Commons Brockenbhan by Nawi112

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DOWN THE LINE The recent appointment of new chaplains Angela and Helen reminded me that we have many women to thank for the development of much of Railway Mission’s early work.

In Victorian and Edwardian times, there was a clear distinction between the social classes. Before marriage, working class women had to work to bring money into the family home, and after marriage were fully occupied with children. In contrast, middle and upper class women might have had money and servants, which gave them free time. Many (especially those who were unmarried or widows) gave this time freely in the service of others.

Southport Convalescence Home Matron Miss Laird with her patients. Circa 1914.

Courtesy of Richard Wilkinson.

Our voluntary archivist, Dudley Clark, examines how women helped to shape the Mission’s early work

From the days of the navvies, middle and upper class women found ready acceptance of their care and spiritual direction. Emma Saunders, a banker’s daughter, started work with navvies building Bristol’s Clifton Extension Railway. Because she gave bunches of flowers and other gifts, she became ‘the Lady with the Basket’. She went on to manage Railway Mission’s Bristol branch.

Lincolnshire corn merchant Henry Casswell and his wife, Mary, had eleven children. Of these, Amy, Ruth, Margaret and Elsie became Mission superintendents. They moved round the country, and some acted as senior superintendents sent to manage, perhaps even troubleshoot, at branches across England. Unlike many, they were paid employees.

Not all were naturally ‘upfront’ people, and were sometimes reluctant to take a leading role. Harriett Gardiner, involved from the founding of the Hastings branch in 1883, was encouraged by her vicar to become superintendent when the post became available. She “shrank from the responsibility” but “it was, however, the wish of the railwaymen that led her to recognise the invitation as a call from God.”

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On a mission from India

It was a joy to welcome Arulraj from Rail Hope India – a member of the International Railway Mission – to London a few weeks ago.

Our Executive Director, Liam Johnston, and Marketing Officer Rachel Dalby joined Arulraj for an afternoon meeting at Kings Cross Station while he was staying in the UK with friends.

Miss Harriett Gardiner, 1890

By 1900, of the 143 Railway Mission branch superintendents in England, 104 were women. Many other women undertook tasks more usually associated with their gender at the time, and found themselves Sunday school-teaching or organising teas.

The Mission’s Convalescence Homes were also run by women, and they maintained a strict regime with prayers, early lights out, no popping to the pub, and definitely no talking to the female staff!

Dudley Clark

Arulraj is a railway missionary and international evangelist based in Chennai (Madras) in Southern India. He explained that with over 1.5 million people working for Indian Railways, there was enormous scope for spreading God’s word. “But things are very different in India,” he said, “because we don’t have official permission to talk to rail staff. This means that our main focus is supporting existing Christians.”

In his early career, Arulraj was an onboard Service Manager overseeing cooks and cleaners, and later became an office-based accounts officer. He took early retirement in 2009 to become a full-time minister.

He said: “I’ve seen tremendous changes, most notably over recent years when investment in the railways in India has sky-rocketed as part of my country’s development goals.”

Please pray for Arulraj and his wife, Daisy, and their two children.

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Rob Brighouse interview

Where did it all begin for you?

“Working on the track in Leicester about 40 years ago. I went on to supervise overnight track-laying in the London area, including a weekend shift where we dug up the power supply to Euston Station and closed it for 24 hours! That was a particularly solid learning experience, as was the ‘robust’ conversation with the big boss on the Monday morning!

“After gaining a Civil Engineering degree and, later, an MBA, I went to Australia and then Hong Kong, where I was responsible for a major route upgrade.

“Back in the UK in 2000, I was invited to lead Chiltern’s major investment programme, and then mobilise London Overground. I was appointed MD at Chiltern in 2011.”

What’s the recipe for success at the top?

“Remembering there’s one MD and many, many more staff, so success is about

communicating with, encouraging, challenging and – crucially – supporting staff.”

Do you travel regularly by train?

“Absolutely! I’m a daily commuter, which is for me a very important aspect of my job, as I get to see the railway through the eyes of a customer. I live on the Chiltern route at Haddenham.

What do you do when you’re not at work?

“I have a couple of interests which are connected with water. My wife, Barbara, and I (we’re both engineers) are renovating an old water mill on Dartmoor. We’re already generating electricity from the wheel, but the building’s still a bit of a wreck!

“Also, we’ve set up a charity which brings clean water and sanitation to rural communities in East Africa.”

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Chiltern Railways MD Rob Brighouse will step down in a few weeks and become a non-executive director of Network Rail. Rachel Dalby asks him about his work, home life and beliefs.

Do you believe in God?

“Yes. I have a Christian faith, and I’m a member of St Mary’s Church, Haddenham. I help lead some of its youth work.

How is Railway Mission valued by Chiltern?

“The rail industry can demand long and irregular hours and, sadly, despite the work of the industry in conjunction with Samaritans, we have the occasional tragedy. I really appreciate the good work done by Railway Mission in supporting our staff in these situations. I’m also grateful for the chaplains taking a lead when we hold services at stations.”

As you prepare to move on, how do you see the future of the railways in the UK?

“Having worked in the industry since the mid-70s, it’s great to see the resurgence of rail. While we continue to focus on meeting customers’ needs, running a safe, reasonably priced, reliable and comfortable railway, I see no reason why this growth shouldn’t continue.”

To the moon and back How far would you go to support Railway Mission’s vital and unique work?

North West chaplain Richard Cook is in training to cycle 80km – that’s as far as from here to the edge of Space – to raise money to support people on our railways.

Richard aims to complete the ride, in Lancashire’s beautiful Trough of Bowland, in around three hours. He’ll zoom off from Preston at 10am on Sunday October 4th.

Richard says: “People helped by Railway Mission include train drivers, crews and British Transport Police involved in the aftermath of rail fatalities. We also support office workers, engineers and suppliers in times of personal crisis. I would go to the moon and back to help these people, so please dig deep and support Railway Mission.”

If you would like to sponsor Richard, his online form is at: www.everyclick.com/ railwaymission Picture: Richard Cook takes part in Network Rail’s Bikeathon at Manchester Piccadilly Station during training for his forthcoming 80km event.

Lunar photo: Creative Commons, Alfred Garcia Jr

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Three days in Scotland Nicola Goncalves (left) and Ruth McBean

Monday Annoyed about missing my train because I was on the wrong platform! An easy mistake to make, so try to keep smiling.

Eventually saying goodbye to Edinburgh (having travelled into Scotland yesterday) towards Glasgow’s Queen Street.

On the way back to Queen Street. We call in on a chaplain who works in other types of workplaces. It’s good to see our connections with other organisations.

I usually work in Rugby, which, as the crow flies, is over 260 miles away! Excited about being with Ruth, Nicola and Dereck.

Tuesday

Ruth McBean (chaplain for West Scotland) meets me in Glasgow. Beaming smile! A short walk to Glasgow Central, where around 140,000 people and 1,200 trains pass through every day.

Ruth introduces me to people she knows, then on to a CCTV centre which monitors cameras at the region’s stations. The staff sometimes see dreadful things on their screens, including fatal incidents. Ruth’s there to offer a listening ear.

Lunch. Great to find out more about Ruth over a meal.

Back to Edinburgh.

Cloudy and blustery. I meet Nicola Goncalves (chaplain for East Scotland) at Edinburgh Haymarket Station, close to my digs with friends.

We catch the train to Stirling, then change to the Aberdeen train, leaving at Perth.

Here we meet Ruth and Dereck. Dereck Grant is chaplain for North Scotland.

The team meets quarterly (although this is challenging due to the distances involved).

Dereck’s based near Inverness. It takes him three hours to travel to Perth.

Note to self: Scotland’s bigger than you think!

It covers over 30,400 square miles!

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Railway Mission Administrator Anne McCulloch spent three days with our chaplains in Scotland. Here, she shares extracts from her journal.

Wednesday

Perth’s a bustling city of over 50,000 people in Central Scotland. ‘The Fair City’ (also Gateway to the Highlands) was perfectly placed to become a transport hub with the arrival of the railways. Its first station was built in 1848.

Nicola and I take a train to Inverkeithing (population around 5,000, and growing due to new houses). Nicola catches up with some ScotRail staff, and workers in the catering outlets. A woman calls her over to show her the photos from her daughter’s wedding. Time for our train back to Edinburgh Waverley.

Sad that my time in Scotland’s ending. I board the train home. The cleaning crew climbs off, and the catering trollies are loaded on.

Dereck Grant

Note to self: There are people doing all kinds of jobs on the railways. Most are ‘invisible’ to passengers. Must pray about the continued impact of Railway Mission in Scotland.

Ruth, Nicola and Dereck chat about the challenges they’ve recently faced, and how they’ve seen God at work. I get a sense of how much our chaplains are needed.

After prayers and a simple lunch, Nicola and Ruth talk about their recent mental health training.

Goodbye to Ruth and Dereck, who are heading north to their families.

Anne McCulloch

Nicola and I call at the British Transport Police station in Perth before our train back to Edinburgh.

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Patrick Butcher Leadership Talk Network Rail’s Finance Director says ‘people need, more than ever, to experience compassion in the workplace’

“The world’s a tough place, and all workers are going through tough times,” said Patrick Butcher in his lunchtime business talk for staff at Network Rail’s Quadrant offices in Milton Keynes. The event, organised by Railway Mission, drew a crowd of around 120 people.

Patrick said: “People’s relationships are under pressure. There are things going on with their children, and they may even have money worries. As many of our nation’s social support structures close down, people need – more than ever – to experience compassion in the workplace.”

Patrick became Network Rail’s Finance Director six years ago. Originally from South Africa, he moved to the UK 23 years ago and is married with two children. He and his family attend Holy Trinity Brompton (HTB) Church in Kensington, London.

He said that besides compassion, the fostering of four other ‘C’s were vital in his leadership role:

Context, because people need to understand why they’re doing something in order to become properly engaged.

Commitment, which only comes from staff being able to explore, discuss (and even disagree with) ideas in order to understand them.

Clarity, because everyone needs to be clear about how they’ll get somewhere before setting off on a project.

Connections, in that, by virtue of where we sit in an organisation, we can often help others to make connections with people who can help to solve problems.

“It’s impossible,” said Patrick, “to separate people’s home life and work life. The two are interlinked, and so it’s essential that leaders help staff to take action to get their whole life into balance. This is where compassion comes in. Compassion is about being with people where they are, and helping them through.”

London & South Area Manager, Chaplain Steve Rowe, organised the talk as part of Railway Mission’s programme of regular events at the Quadrant.

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Remembrance Services 2015 Every year, Railway Mission chaplains are involved in Remembrance Services at stations across the country. Here are the times and locations of this year’s events.

Date

Time

Location

Chaplain

Nov 01

10.50am

Accrington

Richard Cook

Nov 04

10.50am

Preston

Richard Cook

Nov 06

10.50am 11.00am

Lancaster Little Sutton, Wirral

Richard Cook Paul Holloway

Nov 07

10.00am 10.50am 11.00am 2.30pm

Western Docks, Dover, Kent Manchester Victoria Liverpool Lime Street Blackpool North

John Robinson Richard Cook Paul Holloway Richard Cook

Nov 08

10.50am

Kidderminster (Severn Valley Railway)

Andrew Hall

Nov 09

10.50am 10.50am

Crewe Birmingham Moore Street

Richard Cook Andrew Hall

Nov 10

10.50am 10.50am

Carlisle Birmingham New Street

Richard Cook Andrew Hall

Nov 11

10.45am 10.45am 10.45am 10.45am 10.50am 10.50am 10.50am 10.55am 11.00am 11.00am 11.00am 11.00am 11.00am

Leicester Derby Cardi Central Edinburgh Waverley London Marylebone Glasgow Central Manchester Piccadilly Bristol Temple Meads Liverpool James Street Network Rail Quadrant:MK London Euston London Waterloo London Kings Cross

c/o Ralph Coleman Ralph Coleman Ron Keen Nicola Goncalves Andrew Hall Ruth McBean Richard Cook Alan Thorpe Paul Holloway Brenda Mosedale Steve Rowe Joshua Shinhmar Humphrey Gillott

Nov 12

10.45am

Swansea High Street

Ron Keen

Over to you!

A round-up of your Railway Mission news, views and involvement

d updates. I r your news an Thank you fo out Ralph’s ab g joy hearin e area! particularly en rby – my hom De in rk wo rstand de un d chaplaincy an do, work you all I admire the . ing it can be how challeng rby Christine in De

Gresty Road Ev angelical Churc h in Crewe asks you accept our that gift of £500 in su pport of your work.

Yours in the Lord, M. Heathcock, Tr easurer

ion News very I found the Summer Railway Miss a donation interesting as usual, and enclose towards your work.

Clive in Flintshire

A big thank you for the help you gave one of my colleagues follow ing a death in his family.

He told me it ha d been a relief to release his emotions throu gh talking to a ch aplain, and he felt stronger as a result.

Thank you for ma king a differenc e to that young man’s life when he was at a low point.

Stephen Spence r-Jones, Station Manage r for Southeaste rn Railway

I would like to thank your chaplain, Andrew , for his help and kindness, and presence at my husband’s funeral.

Gill in Buckinghamshire en at support you have giv Thank you for the gre We were rs. yea ny ma r ove s to our parent n, Mission’s chaplain, Ala touched that Railway funeral 22 er’s fath our at ak took the time to spe subsequently kept in years ago, and that he ently. il she passed away rec unt m Mu h wit ch tou nwall Jackie and Liz in Cor

I am the administrator of a fund left in the Will of a fellow Christian who asked that it be distributed for the Lord’s work. Having knowledge of your organisation’s work, I thought the enclosed sum of £2,000 could be put to good effect with his wishes in mind.

Please be assured of our continued prayers and trust that the Lord will bless you in His work.

Andy in Kent Editor: Thank you so much. The legacy will help our chaplains to make a real difference to railway people’s lives in your friend’s former home area.

Railway the Summer yed reading jo Please en it. ly g al in re e nd W for se s! Thank you ristian Ch Mission New ith w nt se nation, accept our do greetings. shire

k, North York mela in Thirs David and Pa

Are you supporting Railway Mission or benefitting from our service in some way?

Write to: Over to You!, Railway Mission, Rugby Railway Station, Rugby, Warwickshire, CV21 3LA or email office@railwaymission.org