Two mini-marvels are to become the youngest ever to have their names on the side of a train as Great Western Railway celebrates their fundraising heroics on Monday (May 10).
Didcot Town superfan Lincoln Callaghan and young marathon runner Henry Cleary were chosen as BBC Make a Difference Superstars for selflessly helping others at the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Lincoln was aged just five when he answered a fundraising appeal from his beloved home-town club, cycling 100k in just one month and then selling football scratch cards to raise more than £3,500 and literally ‘keep the lights on’ at the Southern League outfit.
Henry, from Stoke Poges, Buckinghamshire, became so concerned about the plight of homeless people during the pandemic he decided to do something about it, stepping out to run a marathon – at the age of seven. He completed the 26.2 miles over nine days and managed to raise more than £10,000 for homelessness charity Crisis.
The pair were selected as the 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 are to feature at either end of high-speed Intercity Express Train number 800030 as GWR begins the task of honouring the BBC Make a Difference Superstars from nine regions across the network.
The National Railway Museum (NRM) believes Lincoln and Henry are the youngest to have trains named in their honour.
NRM Lead Curator Ed Bartholomew said: “Although other locomotives have been named after Royal children, these will be the youngest non-Royal children to be honoured with a train naming.”
Rail Minister Chris Heaton-Harris said: “Lincoln and Henry have shown incredible resolve and dedication as brilliant fundraisers, and I know their families, friends and communities will be incredibly proud of their achievements.
“Having their names on the side of a GWR train cements their status as Great Westerners, and I congratulate them on this well-deserved honour.”
Great Western Railway Managing Director Mark Hopwood said: “Lincoln and Henry went to incredible lengths to support such worthy causes and we’re thrilled to add their names to 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 two such kind-hearted youngsters 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 that it’s often the oldest and the youngest listeners who have led the way. Lincoln and Henry are the youngest superstars and great examples to the rest of us. Congratulations to them and to the teams at BBC Radio Oxford and Berkshire.”
Didcot Town, known as The Railwaymen, launched an appeal last April to raise £10,000 to help ends meet during the pandemic.
Lincoln asked dad Chris if they could do a cycle ride to help raise funds and used the exercise time allowed to complete the 100k challenge and raise more than £2,250. The duo then started an online scratch card competition which raised a further £1,000.
Didcot Town director and trustee Roger Neal said: “It has been incredibly difficult for us to keep going during the pandemic and the fantastic work Lincoln has done has literally helped us to keep the lights on.
“Full credit to him – we can’t thank him enough. We’re so used to seeing him cycling around the perimeter of the pitch during games and to take on this fundraising challenge was a stunning effort.”
Henry set himself the mammoth challenge of running a marathon in just 10 days. His target was to raise £262 – £10 per mile for homeless charity Crisis – but the Star Wars-loving schoolboy raised more than £10,000.
He even managed to complete his marathon in just nine days, with a sprint finish at the end! He was cheered on every day by neighbours and key worker children from his school, who took to the streets to clap Henry as he ran past.
Crisis Chief Executive Jon Sparkes said: “We’re incredibly grateful that Henry chose to support us last year when he took on his marathon challenge. The pandemic has been especially tough for people experiencing homelessness and highlighted just how crucial it is that everyone has somewhere safe to call home.
“Our year-round work to support people out of homelessness is only possible because of people like Henry. He really is a superstar in our eyes and we’re really pleased to see his amazing efforts recognised in such a wonderful way.”
As more people return to rail after the easement of lockdown restrictions, GWR has been working hard to welcome people back on to its services.
This includes:
- A 24% increase in cleaning hours every week since March 2020
- Sanitising (fogging) of 1,120 vehicles every 4 weeks
- Carrying out 2,150 on board surface tests (ATP) every four weeks, to ensure the effectiveness of our cleaning
- 272 train cleaning processes reviewed, and many adapted
- Hand sanitising facilities at key stations across its network.
The train operator has also provided extra staff at key stations to offer help and guidance; and processes are in place to help customers maintain a safe distance where possible.
GWR is encouraging customers to continue to travel safely. People are reminded to:
- Wear a face covering
- Travel at quieter times where possible
- Wash your hands more regularly
- Buy tickets online, on a smart card or by using the GWR app
Photo credit: Great Western Railway
