Railway Mission and RIA charity partnership success

Railway Mission has raised thousands of pounds and significantly increased awareness of the charity’s vital chaplaincy service thanks to a year-long partnership with the Railway Industry Association (RIA).

RIA selected Railway Mission as its 2023 Charity of the Year and created a number of opportunities for the Christian faith-based charity to raise both funds and its profile within the railway community.

Railway Mission had a free exhibition stand at the RIA Innovation Conference in March to share information about the chaplaincy team’s confidential and impartial service and where the 300 industry representatives who attended could donate to the charity.

RIA is repeating the generous gesture at this week’s two-day Annual Conference.

Railway Mission also received free tickets to the high-profile RIA RISE Awards Dinner in June, attended by more than 400 industry representatives and keynote speaker Rail and HS2 Minister Huw Merriman. During the evening the charity was invited to stage a raffle which raised in excess of £2,500.

In September, a seven-strong team of RIA employees and staff from membership organisations Dura Composites and Anderton Concrete tackled an extreme endurance 10km Tough Mudder challenge in aid of Railway Mission, raising £535.

RIA also live-streamed the Railway Mission-organised Rail Industry Covid Memorial Day service, hosted by York’s National Railway Museum, in March.

“Railway Mission is honoured and delighted to have been RIA’s 2023 Charity of the Year,” comments Liam Johnston, Railway Mission Executive Director.

“We are extremely grateful for RIA’s generous support and commitment to making a difference for the charity.

“The partnership has enabled us not only to raise more than £3,000 towards funding our chaplains’ vital work but also helped raise greater awareness of the support our dedicated chaplaincy team provides to the entire railway family.

“Partnerships, such as the one with RIA, have a long-lasting impact and we would welcome the opportunity to speak with other organisations about embarking on a similar venture.”

Grace Smithen, Senior Marketing and Events Manager at RIA said “RIA has been proud to partner with the Railway Mission in 2023. The organisation does hugely important work to support the wellbeing of employees across the industry. We look forward to continuing our work with them in the future.”

Railway Mission is a national charity which provides a regionally-based chaplaincy service aiming to be an impartial ‘friend’ to those who work on the railway. Regardless of faith, gender, sexual orientation or position in the industry, chaplains offer face-to-face year-round support, especially during an individual’s time of loneliness, stress, depression, bereavement or illness.

A Christian faith-based charity, Railway Mission offers pastoral care to the entire railway community and members of the public affected by rail operations.

For more information about Railway Mission and its work visit www.railwaymission.org.

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