Two heroes from Somerset have had a train named after them by Great Western Railway in recognition of their hard work and dedication.
The community heroes are dedicated care home manager Christopher Dando and fundraising postie Evette Wakely.
Christopher, from Westbury-sub-Mendip, and Evette, from Taunton, were chosen as BBC Make a Difference Superstars for selflessly helping others at the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Christopher helped to make sure 23 residents at Court House Retirement Home in Cheddar were safe during the height of the pandemic. To do so, he gathered a team of carers who voluntarily locked themselves into a safe bubble for the benefit of their residents. They did this for 12 weeks, not being able to see their families and working around the clock to protect the residents.
Christopher led by example, working in the kitchen, helping with personal care, emptying rubbish, cutting the grass and organising morale-boosting events for residents and staff. He and the team were heartened as they received messages of support from people in the surrounding area.
Royal Mail worker Evette put a smile on people’s faces in Somerset. She brought together a team of 12 fancy-dress colleagues to deliver the post and raise money for the Love Musgrove Covid-19 Response Fund, helping nurses and patients at Musgrove Park Hospital in Taunton. Within a month, they had raised more than £5,000.
Evette also arranged for a convoy of Royal Mail vans to deliver a gift to a girl awaiting major heart surgery, as well as leading a fundraising month to raise £2,695 for the homeless and raising another £3,500 for St Margaret’s Hospice in Taunton.
Over the past few years, she has also helped raise thousands of pounds for Elliot’s Touch, a charity in Watchet helping to fund research and find cures for Cardiomyopathy in Children and Mitochondrial Disease.
The pair were selected as BBC Make a Difference Superstars by judges following a link-up between the BBC and GWR to celebrate those people going above and beyond to help others in their communities.
Now their names feature at either end of Intercity Express Train 800029 as GWR continues to honour BBC Make a Difference Superstars from nine regions across the network.
Taunton Deane MP, Rebecca Pow, said: “Evette is a real inspiration. As well as being a key worker delivering post and parcels throughout the pandemic, she went above and beyond to raise money for Musgrave Park Hospital – and putting a smile on people’s faces in the process.
“It’s because of people like her that we’ve managed to get through these difficult couple of years, and it’s absolutely fitting that GWR and BBC Radio Somerset have honoured her in this way.”
Wells MP James Heappey said: “Christopher and his team at Court House Retirement Home showed absolute selflessness throughout the pandemic, sacrificing time with their own families to form Covid-secure bubbles for the safety of residents.
“It’s little wonder these heart-warming acts of kindness struck such a chord with the local community, who responded by leaving generous donations of their own for staff and residents to enjoy.
“Many of us have lost loved ones and had to make sacrifices over these past couple of years, but it’s thanks to people like Christopher and his team who have managed to keep community spirits alive.”
Great Western Railway managing director Mark Hopwood said: “Christopher and Evette went to incredible lengths to support their communities, and we’re thrilled to add their names onto the side of an Intercity Express Train.
“The GWR has a long and proud history of naming trains after Great Westerners – past and present heroes from across our network – and it’s a real treat to add these two community stalwarts to that list.
“It was a privilege to partner with the BBC Make a Difference campaign and the stories which featured on BBC local radio were truly overwhelming.”
Head of audio and digital for BBC England Chris Burns said: “We have been amazed by the response of many listeners to our Make a Difference campaign on Local BBC Radio, as listeners have been helping each other out throughout the pandemic.
“It has been humbling to learn about the kind-hearted efforts of so many in our communities, and Christopher and Evette are great examples to the rest of us. Congratulations to them and to the team at BBC Somerset.”
