A fundraising team who has so far raised over a quarter of a million pounds for a Yorkshire based charity have been announced as the worthy recipients in the Team Award category in the prestigious Heart of Gold Awards, set up by the Railway Benefit Fund.

Presented with their award at a ceremony in London last week, the team, made up of colleagues from Network Rail and DB Cargo, started fundraising in 2019, when another Network Rail colleague Charlotte Bullock, began using the services of Martin House Children’s Hospice, which is based just outside Wetherby, to help care for her son, Luca before his tragic passing aged just 11 years old. Charlotte herself sadly passed away in 2022 but continues to be the inspiration for the dedicated teams continued fundraising efforts.

Martin House provides free hospice care and support for children and young people with life-limiting conditions and vital support for their families across West, North and East Yorkshire. The money raised will provide a year of bereavement services and support groups, plus 300 home visits.

The Heart of Gold Awards, recognise those individuals and groups working in the rail industry who strive to make a difference in their communities or workplaces and are nominated by and voted for by everyday rail works, this year over 2,200 votes were cast across the 5 award categories.

The Railway Benefit Fund, began life as the Railway Benevolent Institution 1858 with the initial intention of providing a fund for the widows and orphans of railway workers who had been killed working on the railways. Today it continues to provide a range of services and support for anyone who works, or who has worked in the rail industry https://www.railwaybenefitfund.org.uk/

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!”