Amy Rea

Said the following about Rebecca Bartlett:

“Beckie Bartlett is a Scheme Project Manager at Network Rail, based at Newport Crindau Works on the Wales and Borders route. Alongside her day job working on the Park Junction & Tondu-Measteg projects, she is passionate about supporting colleague with their mental health and helping them manage stress and achieve wellbeing at work.

Beckie was diagnosed with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME) and depression in 2011, after her 18-year-old sister, Hollie, took her own life. Beckie joined Network Rail in 2014, and in 2017 she felt her mental health had deteriorated to where she felt like she was “just existing” but with the help and support of family and colleagues Beckie sought help through her doctor.

Following her own experience with mental health issues and support from colleagues, friends, and family and through sessions with a mental health nurse & EMDR therapy, she decided she wanted to support others at work, who may be experiencing personal or professional issues that may be affecting their wellbeing and ability to work.

With mental health-related absence at Network Rail on the rise, Beckie is now championing mindfulness and resilience across the business as a tool to help colleague’s combat stress. Beckie has recently qualified as a mental health first aider, meaning she's equipped to support others struggling with their mental health.

She delivers introductory mindfulness sessions to colleagues around the network, including sessions to groups of colleagues ranging from Maintenance teams to Transport Salaried Staffs' Association (TSSA) Safety Representatives.

Her approach, alongside colleague Neil McMahon, is to provide a comfortable environment with teams and talk them through the science behind mindfulness and how it can help. She shares her own personal stories and some mindfulness techniques that have worked for her.

Whilst Beckie is keen that her sessions are open to all and often finds a diverse group leads to the most animated and interesting discussions. She is particularly passionate about building others resilience to stressful situations and worked with IP HR to roll out a Resilience e-learning tool to all IP colleagues.

Below are a couple of quotes from attendees of her course:

“Working in a male dominated environment I’m aware of the attitude towards opening up to issues like this and it was refreshing to see genuine interest and the first steps being made to break down the stigma regarding mental health and well-being”

“I found the presentation very thought provoking and was amazed that at the end of the session I was able to listen to the tape and relax and when a work worry sprung to mind during the quiet time but I was able to block out.”

Beckie will be attending the Time to Change event at Milton Keynes in October with Andrew Haines, Network Rail’s Chief Executive, to deliver one of her sessions. She has also attended MK1 where staff where struggling with work pressures and is currently helping colleagues with their mindfulness techniques. She has also been asked to join the group which will be reviewing the new Supporting Mental Wellbeing standard which is to replace to existing Risk assessment for Stress in the workplace.

The below quote is from one of the senior leaders who work with Beckie.

Ruby Marwaha, Senior Programme Commercial Manager, IP Signalling – Southern: “It takes great courage, strength and resilience to share something so personal as Beckie has done and I admire her for that. She has so much of positive energy and enthusiasm and I can only but imagine how many she will reach out to who will benefit from her ‘Mindfulness’ sessions. Beckie – thank you so much for your time and effort over and above your day job for such a wonderful and worthy cause.”“