Two Thameslink colleagues who were awarded British Empire Medals in the King’s Birthday Honours for service to the railway have recently been presented with their medals.

Both colleagues work for station teams, with Joe Healy, the station manager at Luton Airport Parkway and Harpenden, and Siggy Cragwell, working at Elstree & Borehamwood.

Joe’s medal was presented to him by the Lord-Lieutenant of Bedfordshire, Susan Lousada, at RAF Henlow and Siggy received his medal from the Lord-Lieutenant of Greater London, Sir Kenneth Olisa OBE, in a ceremony at the Tower of London; Lord Lieutenants are the King’s official representatives, and present honours and awards on behalf of the Crown.

Joe, aged 50, received his medal in recognition of the work he does at Luton Airport Parkway and Harpenden, where he makes special efforts to give people with special educational needs and disabilities greater confidence for them to use the railway and gain independence.

He has worked in the railway industry for 24 years and is passionate about helping others. For more than eight years, he organised ‘Try A Train’ days for students at Dunstable College, Bedford College and Autism Bedfordshire, where people with special educational needs and disabilities are encouraged to have the confidence to use the railway.

Siggy, who is aged 85 and Thameslink’s oldest employee, has worked on the railway for 62 years after coming to the UK from Barbados as part of the Windrush generation, recently commemorated in the naming of one of London Overground Lines.

Outside the railway, he has enjoyed a long career playing cricket, including playing for the England veterans. He has been proudly wearing his medal at work and showing it to passengers who, in return, have given him lots of hugs and kisses.

Also awarded British Empire Medals in the King’s Birthday Honours was Peter Best, who owns locomotives such as 2253 Omaha and LMS Black 5 No. 44806.

“It was a great event and such an honour. I was so surprised, as I said when I first heard about the award. To me, honestly, doing what I do on the railway is like a dream and then to be awarded this is like the icing on the cake. I never, ever thought I’d be getting a BEM. It’s crazy! Everybody has a right to travel no matter what their disability. Why should we have somebody sitting at home thinking they can’t get out, they can’t travel because they’re too anxious or afraid, even to come to a train station? We need to break that down and if there’s anything I can do, then I’m definitely going to do it. I also work with NOAH Enterprise in Luton to help disadvantaged individuals back into the world of work. I go to workshops and sit down and chat with people, find out about their situation, talk about my role as a station manager. I sometimes help them apply for jobs on the railway and do mock interviews to help them prepare. I remember there was a lady who always used to hide her face and not really talk, but then one day she came running up to me because she wanted to tell me she’d got a job as a carer! It’s moments like those that are truly rewarding.”

Joe Healy BEM