The RailStaff Awards 2024

Simone Carter

Said the following about George & Team Stourbridge Junction:

“When COVID fast became a reality and started to affect the whole nation and people were furloughed or working at home we realised quite quickly that most certainly locals to Stourbridge Junction railway station would not be able to see their members of staff, have the daily interactions with George the station cat and have a loss of their normal routine so we set him up on social media

The rationale for this was so that people who normally saw him on a daily basis would still be able to interact with him and see him but in the world of social media instead- keeping that link and thread of normality with what was committing life, the initial idea was to just let people know that we're all in this together and we will get through it and it's perfectly OK to feel how we were all feeling, which was fearful, apprehensive and even a bit lonely at times- to be that inner voice we all had

It also allowed us to surreptitiously put in snippets of what life is like at a railway station, the work and interventions we do with the Samaritans and people who wish to come to railway stations with the intention not leaving alive, the railway Chaplin’s and all that we do to make a railway station function of course the added bonus is George just being George -a little bit cheeky at times- to raise a smile too

The station staff have been instrumental in allowing us to become so successful with George in helping give an insight of the railway, by meeting with his many visitors and taking photographs of George for me when I am not there and helping Stourbridge Junction win The World Cup of Stations in 2021 after coming runner up in 2020

They have all worked tirelessly like many others during the pandemic, working full time to give outstanding customer service in a safe and secure environment and have an empathic approach to all those other critical workers using our services during a time like no other

George and the Team have also assisted in raising much needed funds for The Samaritan's, Stray Cats West Midlands and numerous other charities and is an advocate for mental health awareness“

Nikki Seymour

Said the following about George & Team Stourbridge Junction:

“George and the team are amazing...! George's daily quotes are so uplifting and funny... He TRULY makes my day..!!“