The RailStaff Awards 2024

Nominations for Samaritans Lifesaver Award

Sally Ralston

Said the following about Jenny Calvert:

“Jenny is a part time station retailer at Merseyrail on the Wirral Line.

She is a meal relief – covering breaks for her colleagues on the line between Birkenhead and Hooton. Her duties include all aspects of customer service and ticket sales.

Summary:

Jenny was covering the Meal Relief turn at Ellesmere Port Station on the Merseyrail network and was just leaving when she noticed a lady get on the train in a nightgown under a cardigan. If Jenny had not been vigilant and noticed that the lady was wearing her nightie under her cardigan this lady would not have received the help that she needed, and could have potentially come to some harm.

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Jenny was covering the Meal Relief turn at Ellesmere Port station on the Merseyrail network. As she was leaving the station she noticed a lady get on the train in a nightgown under a cardigan. With her many years of experience on the railway she knew that this was unusual behaviour and decided that she needed to do something to check on the welfare of the lady in question.

Jenny tried holding the train for a short while, and managed to find out that the lady was trying to get to Chester. She advised the guard that she was driving to Hooton (a station between Ellesmere Port and Chester) so she would be able to connect with the lady there. When she arrived at Hooton station she went straight over to the platform where the individual was waiting. She spoke to the lady and discovered that she had been discharged this morning from hospital into the care of St Johns ambulance.

Jenny continued to engage with the lady and managed to keep her at the station and move over to the station booking office with her.

St johns ambulance service was contacted and they were on their way to the station. St Johns ambulance also advised that they had arranged for the police to meet them at Hooton station to assist with the lady.

Jenny was constantly by the ladies side, checking that she was okay and that she was in no danger. She also liaised with the emergency services to ensure that they had all the correct facts.

Jenny stayed talking with the customer who came to trust her. She kept her calm and at the station until the police arrived to deal with her.

Jenny used her many years of railway experience and caring nature in this fantastic example of looking after our passengers.

Jenny put herself in the lady's family’s position, and she hoped that if it was a member of her family that somebody would go out of their way to help them to.

With Jenny being so vigilant whilst completing the Meal Relief duties at Ellesmere Port and noticing that something wasn't quite right this ensured that she could get help for this lady.

Jenny is always willing to go that extra to help our passengers. Jenny has many examples of similar actions throughout her railway career and has received praise throughout this time. This is just another example of Jenny’s caring attitude towards her passengers and fellow members of her community.

By Jenny doing what she did this ensured that the lady remained safe and received the help that she needed.

If Jenny had not been vigilant and noticed that the lady was wearing her nightie under her cardigan this lady would not have received the help that she needed, and could have potentially come to some harm.

Jenny is a great example to others in our business. She shows foresight and a very proactive mentality. She has been involved in some challenging events on merseyrail stations and helped to deal with distressed passengers on several occasions always with professionalism and kindness.“