The 1st of June saw the return of Rail Pastors to the Greater Anglia network for the first time in three years.

Rail Pastors aim to help those who are vulnerable, in distress or in need of assistance.

Carrying out patrols through the day and into the evening, the Rail pastors will visit stations and onboard trains from:

• Shenfield to Southend Victoria
• Shenfield to Colchester Town
• Harlow Town to Cambridge

Rail Pastors are able to direct people to an array of useful support services, including counselling.

Matthew Wakefield, Greater Anglia’s Head of Safety, Security and Sustainability, said: “We are very pleased to welcome rail pastors back to the Greater Anglia network.”

“We fully support any initiative which aims to keep people safe on our rail network, and we are extremely grateful to the rail pastors for volunteering their time to care for others.”

“As well as looking out for suicidal or vulnerable people, pastors provide assistance to anyone – this includes helping anyone who may be confused or anxious, ensuring they get to where they need to go, or just offering reassurance and a friendly face.”

January 2018 first saw the Rail Pastors begin their important work patrolling the Greater Anglia network between Shenfield and Colchester, and in June 2018, patrols got underway on the West Anglia route.

Rail Pastor, Phil Norton, said: “We are a non-judgmental group of people who are here to support those who are vulnerable or simply need someone to talk to.”

“We have enjoyed patrolling the railway in Essex and we are very pleased to be back again to help those in need.”

Wearing easily identifiable bright blue uniforms, the Rail Pastors are available to those who are vulnerable or those who just need somebody to have a chat with.

Rail Pastors undergo training as volunteers completing Street Pastor training, which takes at least three months alongside the Samaritans Managing Suicidal Contacts course which is also taken by a large number of rail workers across the UK.

The Ascension Trust created the Rail Pastors initiative in collaboration with British Transport Police, rail operators, Network Rail and Samaritans in the hope of saving lives.