Richard Morrish

Said the following about Charles Liburd:

“Great Western Railway (GWR) is one of the biggest rail franchises in the UK, part of the First Group of companies, operating the Western network since 1996, rebranding ourselves as GWR in 2015. We employ over 6000 people across our network and we carry more than one and a half million customers over two million single journeys on 10,000 services every week. People are at the heart of our business and our ethos is that we are 'greater together'.

This nomination is for Charles Liburd and relates to his time as a Station Supervisor in 2018, prior to his change of role.

From Cardiff to Cheltenham, Charles was known for his friendly approach and kind (& chatty) nature. Whether it was assisting other TOC’s on his journey to work, helping out on board, assisting customers with luggage or simply speaking with colleagues and customers, his approachable demeanour always lifted your spirits.

Responsible for staffed gatelines in the South Cots, Charles took high pride in his work, ensuring we provided the best possible service to our customers. He encouraged this from his teams also. When the ‘back on track’ booklets and £5 vouchers were introduced, Charles was one of the first to teach his staff about his uses. Not only did he teach his staff but he encouraged engagement with passengers by introducing a weekly voucher initiative which meant greater engagement between staff and customers. This initiative proved so popular that whilst managing at Temple Meads, we introduced the system too.

Charles’s support of GWR initiatives and groups are tenfold. During a Princes Trust work experience intake we had some staff sickness and placement drop-outs leaving us with nobody to welcome and look after the young professionals. Charles kindly stepped in and agreed to host the individuals at Gloucester and Cheltenham Spa. Not only did Charles teach them the role of the gateline but he went one step further and taught them how to use back on tracks and the importance of customer service. Our feedback was overwhelming, many of which alluded to his placements being their favourites.

Charles on a number of occasions has also mentored the operations apprentices whilst on placement in the region, teaching them not only the requirements of the role but other key information relating to the business. Working with the platforms teams he often taught those around him to assist our platform colleagues to ensure a better experience for all involved and how it aids in maintaining a disciplined timetable.

Not only did Charles support long-standing initiatives, he also encouraged the development and progression of his staff. He was always encouraging, offering to support those who wished to progress and where possible he worked with the station management team to arrange their release for training and shadowing.

His support for staff extended beyond learning and development, and he frequently put in additional hours to cover those in need, putting their needs above that of his own. He was often to be found working late to ensure there was full coverage and the operation of the gateline was maintained.

Charles always answered the phone no matter the time of day and was always on hand to assist where necessary.

Whilst I’ve been on call, Charles’s local knowledge and support has been crucial to a timely response. He has even called around colleagues to rectify a solution without me needing to step foot outside of the house.

Recently I was called to an incident in Stroud where the ticket office alarm had sounded. Unfamiliar to the area, I called Charles to see if he was in work. Although he was not in work, this did not stop him from assisting, he called the local ticket office representative who resolved the issue immediately. Where there was an event in the Central region, there was Charles. He was always the first to volunteer for major events, often giving up the very little free time he had to aid those in need.

He volunteered countless hours for RRS and large-scale events such as the Champions league final, autumn internationals, Cheltenham races, BASRE etc.

He continues to exemplify every one of our values, offering a lasting experience for both customers and staff daily.

Arriva staff members at Newport always commented on his friendly and willing demeanour. He was a favourite with Princes Trust candidates for his willingness to guide them and teach them more than the gateline role. His positive feedback was endless and he certainly deserves wider recognition.

Customer and colleague citations:

“I would like to commend a GWR colleague for his voluntary assistance on board my train yesterday His name is Charles Liburd and he is a Station Supervisor based in Gloucester. He joined 1L46 (0924 Swansea - Paddington) at Newport and although travelling to his place of work in Gloucester, he asked if I required any assistance. I had no catering staff and was rapidly running out of complimentary items. He voluntarily rang Gloucester and arranged for crates of still and sparkling water to be delivered to the train on our arrival there. He then stayed on the train and helped me distribute them to the passengers. I feel he went beyond the call of duty and should be recognised for his support. Should you require any further information l will gladly provide it”

“Hi Both, I just wanted to forward this lovely email onto you. Can you please give Charles a big thank you for all his help from both myself and TM Wayne.”

“Good Morning Richard, I have a smashing message of praise via Twitter for Charles at Gloucester Station yesterday.”“