From a quiet beginning the RailStaff Awards is now attracting wider recognition as a unique national event where railway staff, drivers, conductors, clerks and cleaners are recognised and praised.
The motivation behind the award is simple, says RailStaff’s editor, Andy Milne. ‘Despite all the technology from high speed rail to automatic ticket gates making a railway journey comes down to the deal struck between the passengers and the rail staff looking after them. It’s these people we believe who deserve greater recognition.’
Railways have remained a labour intensive industry long after most of Britain’s heavy industrial base became mechanised and impersonal. The railway carries enormous volumes of human beings in safety and comfort everyday.
‘Personal contact is an essential pre-requisite of the deal not a bolt-on customer care optional extra,’ says Milne. Such personal contact has long been thrown over by press-one-for-other-options industries.
‘Key pad care doesn’t work on railways. Passengers want to see the guard on the train, the driver in his cab and the dispatcher on the platform. The great public may be aware of, but rarely sees, the armies of engineers and track workers out in all weathers ensuring the railway is fit for purpose and safe to use.’
The RailStaff Awards seek to draw attention to these people, explain a little of what they achieve and however imperfectly pass on the best wishes of a grateful industry.
Although RailStaff brings objective third party endorsement to the event, railway staff themselves nominate colleagues they consider deserve an award. ‘Every day at RailStaff we hear stories of courage and compassion,’ says Andy Milne.
‘Most rail staff will say – I was just doing my job. But they do much more than that and provide a deep reservoir of strength the railway draws on round the clock 365 days a year.’
This year’s event will take place again for the fifth year, at the ICC in Birmingham on the evening of Saturday 29th October 2011. ‘Happily we have lots of award schemes for business and technology progress but the RailStaff Awards is a unique event in bringing the whole industry together to celebrate its collective strength – its people.’
If you wish to be a sponsor or to get involved or need any further information contact: [email protected]
