LNER Reserves reach 2,000 volunteering hours milestone

London North Eastern Railway (LNER) workers who are volunteering to support the NHS, emergency services, charities and other organisations during the Coronavirus outbreak have clocked up 2000 hours of service in just a matter of weeks.

More than 120 LNER Reserves are making a difference for other people in their communities right along the East Coast route.

Among them is customer experience host, Neil Spendelow, who is volunteering with the COVID Kindness team in Lincolnshire. They are providing food and essential care packages for families in Spalding.

Neil said: “I am proud to be supporting the team who are doing a fantastic job in helping the local community. It is a challenging time for many people and I am pleased that through the LNER Reserves, I am able to do something to assist families.”

LNER Reserves was formed as part of LNER’s response to the Coronavirus pandemic. It is connecting staff with various organisations, including the NHS, emergency services, LNER partner charity Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM), FareShare, The Trussell Trust, NCVO and Age UK.

Travel consultant, Penny Bond signed up to support Age UK, the NHS and The British Red Cross. She is also running a project called ‘A letter to a friend, a letter of joy’ and is working with others to send letters and pictures to care home residents to brighten their day.

Penny said: “As an LNER Reserve, I feel I am doing something positive. Care home residents are currently very much isolated, with no access to visitors so sending letters, poems and pictures is a way of trying to put a smile on their faces.

“My local community and LNER colleagues across the country are helping.”

LNER Managing Director, David Horne said: “In this time of national crisis, it is fantastic that colleagues have been able to stay connected to the communities we serve and help to support them while our key workers are continuing to keep those for whom travel is essential on the move.

“We are delighted with the dedication colleagues have shown, resulting in thousands of hours in volunteering time so far and the hours continue to grow. As a responsible business we put our people, customers and communities at the heart of what we do and this is just oneway of doing that.”

Photo credit: LNER

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