Colleagues from Network Rail and DB Cargo have been presented with a Heart of Gold award recognising their mammoth fundraising efforts for Yorkshire-based charity, Martin House Children’s Hospice, totalling a quarter-of-a-million pounds.
At the Heart of Gold ceremony, hosted by the Railway Benefit Fund, the industry colleagues were awarded the Team Award after raising over £250,000 for Martin House Children’s Hospice, using their own time to plan and operate rail charter services throughout the country.
The team started fundraising in 2019 for Martin House, who provide free hospice care and support for children and young people with life-limiting conditions and their families, in response to a Network Rail colleague, Charlotte Bullock, using the charity’s services to help care for her young son Luca before he tragically passed away aged 11.
In 2022, Charlotte also sadly passed away but she remains the inspiration and driving force behind colleagues from Network Rail and DB Cargo continuing to fundraise for Martin House.
The money raised will provide a year of bereavement services, a year of support groups and 300 home visits to support children and young people who need the hospice’s care.
The Railway Benefit Fund’s ‘Heart of Gold’ awards celebrate those in the rail industry who have made a real difference in their workplace or community. The winners are nominated and voted for by the every day people who work in rail, with over 2,200 votes cast in the five categories.
Jerry Dickinson, Senior Incident Controller for Network Rail and one of the group’s fundraisers, said: “We are thrilled to win this award and be recognised in this way. Being presented with this award is incredibly special to all of us, but we do what we do because we want to help and give something back and continue to support Martin House.
“Our team have seen first-hand the incredible work that the hospice does, and we are so proud that we have been able to support their vital work through our charters and associated fundraising. We are equally proud of the cross-industry work that plans and delivers these trains and really demonstrates how we can achieve anything as one team working to a common goal.”
Rosie Mellor-Silvester, Head of Regional and Individual Fundraising at Martin House, said: “I, and all at Martin House, are thrilled that the Charity Charter Team has won this award. They are such an inspiring, motivated and passionate team, who together make amazing things happen!
“They truly are deserving winners and we are incredibly grateful for their ongoing commitment to raising both awareness and funds for Martin House. Huge congratulations to them and all involved!”
Photo credit: Network Rail
