Kathy Young

Said the following about Richard Isaac:

“In his community work, Richard embodies the Northern ethos “to make a positive impact for the North, in all we do and for all we serve.” His projects include outreach work with communities in areas with a low socioeconomic status, to demonstrate how trains can connect them to employment and education opportunities, and working with organisations who aim to tackle unemployment, social isolation, crime, and to encourage a social conscience; including the National Citizen Service (NCS) which allows young people to engage in positive social action.

Richard visits schools regularly to educate young people about rail safety and the dangers of trespassing on the railway and he with the schools regularly contributes to events such as Leeds Rail Safety Week.

Representing the communities that we serve is important to Northern, and Richard along with our HR team have worked tirelessly to promote Northern as an employer of choice. This has proven successful by arranging events which encourage women and the BAME community to consider a career in rail.

Another of Richard’s successes was delivered via the Friends of the Bentham Line. Designed to welcome those with health issues such as dementia to the railway. He played a key role in creating a ‘dementia-friendly railway’ on the Bentham Line, a project which had a train named in its honour.“