At this year’s Railway Benefit Fund’s (RBF) Heart of Gold Awards, the Team Award went to the Martin House Fundraising Team.

The Martin House Fundraising Team is made up of colleagues from DB Cargo, Network Rail, and volunteers from the Branch Line Society.

Each year, the team gives up many hours of their own time working tirelessly to raise funds in support of Martin House Children’s Hospice at Boston Spa near Leeds in West Yorkshire.

The group has a proud record of raising funds for the hospice, and so far has raised the fantastic sum of over £250k, which is enough to provide a year of bereavement services, support groups, and 300 home visits.

The fundraising team comprises Kev Adlam from the Branch Line Society, together with David Jenkinson, Quentin Hedderly, Richard Corser, Ross Taylor, Andrew Denton, Jonathan Lawton, Mark Bridel, and Jerry Dickinson from DB Cargo, Network Rail.

Working in their own time, they plan and operate charitable charter services all over Great Britain. By working together as a rail industry team, they make sure every service is delivered and that they raise as much money as possible for the hospice. The Martin House charity rail tours themselves are operated in partnership with the Branch Line Society.

The Railway Benefit Fund is a charity that provides support railway staff and their dependents across the UK regardless of whether they are currently employed in the railway industry in the UK, former staff, or retired.

The RBF Heart of Gold Awards aim to provide recognition for those in the rail industry who have made a real difference in their workplace or community. Nominations and voting for the awards are open to everyone who works in the rail industry, and provide an opportunity to thank those of their colleagues who they appreciate and value and who inspire them. Further information about the Railway Benefit Fund can be found online at https://www.railwaybenefitfund.org.uk/.

As well as the Team Award, there were four other categories:

• Rising Star,
• Lifetime Achievement,
• Wellbeing Champion,
• Rail Hero Award.