The RailStaff Awards 2024

Nominations for Rail Person of the Year

Lynn Crump

Said the following about Amy Bessie Matthews:

“Amy (Bessie) Matthews joined Freightliner on 16th August 2021 as a trainee shunt driver based out of our Southampton operation.

Whilst taking on a new role and the extensive training that entails, Bessie also seized the opportunity to participate in other activities including playing an active role in the recently formed Freightliner female Train Driver’s forum. The forum is aimed at identifying, voicing and addressing challenges that impact women in our workplace and particularly for those front line.

“Bessie immediately agreed to become involved in the female train driver’s forum of which I am the Chair. As with everything she does, Bess’s passion and enthusiasm are infectious and the energy she brings has a massive impact on the group. Not only does she participate in the discussions, but she actively encourages others too. Bess is an invaluable member of the group, both for what she contributes herself, but also in what she brings out in others.”

Heather Waugh, Freightliner Train Driver and Chair of Female Train driver Forum.

Externally, Bessie has been an avid supporter and advocate for showcasing the career opportunities for women in rail, as well as supporting Samaritans and other rail related charities through fundraising activities.

Bessie has attracted a lot of attention on social media through her Twitter account (@bessbbe) which has over 8,000 followers, helping promote and raise awareness of rail as a great career path for women.

RSSB’s Right Track magazine

The RSSB was made aware of Bessie via Twitter and she was invited to write for Right Track, RSSB’s frontline facing safety magazine.

“I could not have been more impressed by Bessie’s work. She can write from a real frontline perspective, providing a genuine industry voice, which is vital for safety messaging. She has enormous credibility, brings new perspectives and I was proud to put her on the cover of our last issue. She is a beacon of positivity and it is my hope that she will help encourage more women to join our great industry – safely. When you add in all her inspiring work for the Samaritans too, there can be no worthier recipient of a Women in Rail award than Bessie Matthews.”

Greg Morse

LHSBR Editor and Operational Feedback Lead

RSSB

Rail Express Magazine

In October last year, Rail Express launched a new, monthly column - ‘Bessie’s Bulletin’ which is a personal take on what it’s like to work in the rail industry including Bessie’s reactions to the challenges she encounters, whilst positively promoting the rail industry.

“Bess is a natural-born communicator and is a complete joy to work with. The railway is simply a better place with her around. Although she claims that she’s no writer, her excellent copy is already threatening to make me redundant. Her humility, combined with an unstoppable eagerness to learn and improve, speaks volumes for her enchanting personality that lights up wherever she happens to be!”

Mark Simmons

Editor, Rail Express

Samaritans Fundraising

Bessie was the Samaritan’s top fundraiser for Samarathon in 2021 and was a key ambassador for Samaritan’s Christmas Star campaign, featuring in all their campaign promotional material.

“Bessie is a passionate mental health advocate who has donated her time and voice to support Samaritan’s rail suicide prevention programme. Bessie has used a vast amount of her own spare time raising funds for Samaritans through the charity’s walking challenge ‘Samarathon’ – raising an incredible £5864 in 2021, named as the charity’s top fundraiser. Her dedication and commitment saw her walk over 106 miles and travel 1400 miles by rail, as well as using her creativity to paint and sell rail ballast to raise even more funds. We’re so thankful to Bessie for her authenticity in sharing her story and dedication to making sure everyone in the rail industry and beyond knows Samaritans volunteers are there! She really has made such a difference.”

Amy Shacklady, Samaritans Media Manager

Bessie has also written and illustrated a children's railway safety book which gives children a chance to see the possible consequences of certain actions, while also showing guardians the natural path the little ones might take before learning about the dangers of the railway. Sponsored by Freightliner, Community Rail and ScotRail, it is Bessie’s intention that all proceeds from the book will go towards the Railway Children’s charity.

Undoubtedly, in the short time that Bessie has been with Freightliner, she has made an incredible contribution to diversity and inclusion in the rail industry by promoting and encouraging women into a career in Rail, the safety of children around the railway as well as her fantastic fundraising efforts for charity.“