Avanti West Coast employees have been helping the communities they serve on the West Coast Main Line by helping those who need it most during the Covid-19 crisis.
Working together, frontline staff at stations, onboard, and those in office-based roles, now working from home, have arranged initiatives including food collections and donations of essential items to support communities and NHS workers near to Avanti West Coast’s routes.
Their efforts to help are being undertaken alongside their day-to-day duties, as the inter-city operator continues to provide vital services for those travelling including key workers and customers making essential journeys.
These include the team at Glasgow Central station who have bought, and donated toiletries, food and essential items for staff at Royal Alexandra Hospital. This was organised by Train Manager Marie-Claire Duffy who is planning on more donations.
Food, toiletries, board games and activity books donated by the staff at Carlisle are being used to make packages for residents of local care homes.
In the West Midlands, the teams based at Birmingham New Street, Birmingham International, Coventry and Rugby have donated chocolate to young patients at Queen Elizabeth Hospital and essential items and care packages to other hospitals nearby.
At Preston, 110 biryanis and 50 pizzas were delivered to NHS workers at Royal Preston Hospital by Train Manager, Hussain Master, as part of his role volunteering at a charity in Lancashire. Colleagues based at Preston continue to donate essential items, including toiletries to healthcare workers.
Other staff at Avanti West Coast have dedicated their time by signing up to volunteer between shifts or outside of their normal working hours.
Managing Director of Avanti West Coast, Phil Whittingham, said: “It comes as no surprise to me that our people on the frontline and behind the scenes have been doing so much to help their communities.
“Not only are they keeping the railway running to ensure key workers can make essential journeys, but they are pitching in to help others at this difficult time. I can’t thank them enough for what they are doing and it’s testament to their professionalism and character.”