COMMUNITY RAIL NETWORK - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Team Member / Training and Development Coordinator
Alex is responsible for developing and coordinating Community Rail Network's training and development programme alongside Naomi Lilley. Alex brings considerable expertise in training, organisational development and governance to her work in community rail.
Alex has 20 years' experience of working in and with the voluntary and community sector at national, regional and local levels, including nine years at Bradford CVS providing organisational development training to community groups. In her spare time Alex enjoys walking, various crafts, attempting cryptic crosswords and looking after her allotment.
Alice is responsible for supporting members in the promotion of tourism and leisure travel on community rail lines, with a focus on the Northern region. She also coordinates our annual Community Rail Week and Days Out by Rail campaigns, liaising with partners and advising members on how to amplify their key messages. Alice also manages our rail tourism initiative, Scenic Rail Britain.
Having previously promoted her home city as manager of its tourist information centre, Alice now brings over 12 years of tourism experience to community rail. Outside of work, Alice enjoys being in the garden spending time with her two rabbits, Walter & Burt and is often researching her next travel adventure.
Job Titles:
- Team Member / Member Support & Stations Advisor
Caroline provides support to our members in Scotland to promote sustainable travel by rail. With a background in Health and Safety/ Risk Management, she has worked for Train Operating Companies in Scotland and Northern Ireland.
Prior to joining the Community Rail Network, Caroline set-up her own business working within the Circular Economy and, more recently, has worked for the Scottish Green Party. As an Active Travel campaigner she has also been involved with developing policy in this area. In her spare time she enjoys cycling with her son Don, taekwondo and volunteering on local community projects.
Daisy is rail knowledge transfer manager at Knowledge Transfer Network, with a passion for transport transformation, accessibility, sustainability and inclusion. She provides innovation and funding stream support to companies within the rail sector and supply chain. Daisy is also the lead on Accessible & Inclusive Mobility (AIM), supporting & driving innovation in AIM across transport modes.
She is a volunteer and former employee of Community Rail Lancashire, where she was equality, diversity and inclusion lead, developing projects around inclusion of people with disabilities, young women, LGBT+ groups and more. Daisy is also a Northern Power Woman; Future List winner.
Job Titles:
- Team Member / Director of Member Support and Development
Dan is responsible for leading our Support & Development team, working with his team to enthusiastically engage and support our members across the country while offering positive encouragement and advice. This includes working with other third sector organisations, rail industry partners and local authorities.
Dan has amassed well over a decade's experience in the rail industry, spending time at both Network Rail and in the freight sector, with a focus on community engagement, stakeholder management, and customer experience. Dan is a keen music and film enthusiast, having recently completed an MA in Film Studies in his spare time.
Job Titles:
- Team Member / Community Rail Support Officer ( South of England )
Daniel is responsible for working with South Western Railway, finding uses for redundant station buildings, and more widely in supporting community rail in the surrounding area.
He has experience in transport journalism and local transport planning. Away from Community Rail Network, Daniel writes about transport architecture and design, and transport's impact on wider culture. He enjoys bird-watching and other nature activities, and likes being out on the water; he is learning to sail (although not very quickly).
Job Titles:
- Team Member / Administration, Finance and Resources Manager
Dawn has been with the organisation since 2005 and is the longest serving member of the team. Dawn underpins the expert running of our office which includes the building, supplier contracts and administration of the team ensuring they have everything they need for their roles. She is a key member of our management team and supports others in various roles such as HR, health and safety, general wellbeing, events and is vital in our finance administration. Dawn's remit also includes overseeing the administration of our memberships and grant funding applications and keeping Companies House up to date with any changes to the Community Rail Network Board.
Dawn loves to travel whether far-flung or close to home, is an amazing cook, enjoys baking, has a keen interest in health and keeping fit, loves the outdoors, walking and enjoys the challenge of a DIY project in the 173 year old cottage she shares with husband Paul.
Job Titles:
- Team Member / Communications and Marketing Officer
Erin is responsible for maintaining engagement across Community Rail Network's communications and marketing channels. Her remit involves overseeing local press relations and the Network's social media and website, as well as providing advice and support to our members on communications and marketing.
Erin has come from an administrative and customer-focused background, and is excited to be developing her communications skills within the third sector. Away from work, Erin is a keen creative writer, and is trying to spend as much time as she can working on her first screenplay.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board
- Secretary
- Vice Chair
- Chairman of the North Cheshire Community Rail Partnership
The current chair of the North Cheshire Community Rail Partnership, Garfield was previously executive dean of science and engineering at the University of Chester. He has over 30 years experience of chairing committees at all levels. Garfield is also chair of a central board of the British Computer Society, and sits on a number of their committees.
Locally, Garfield works with a number of societies and has recently become treasurer of the Ellesmere Port Family and Local History Society. He is a keen observer of all matters rail, and founded the North Cheshire Community Rail Partnership in 2016.
Gary's role is to support community projects that aim to integrate and develop sustainable transport and empower communities. He supports community rail partnerships and groups around Britain to accelerate locally led initiatives that connect rail with buses and active travel, enabling greener, fairer, more inclusive mobility.
Besides his interest in sustainable travel, Gary enjoys walking, running, and cycling. He is currently completing the Southwest coast path in stages, using public transport to access the route.
Job Titles:
- Team Member / Events and Partnerships Officer
Hannah works alongside Hazel to plan and deliver our busy Members' events programme. You'll meet her at our inspiring community rail seminars, webinars, Conference and flagship annual Awards, where she's always on hand to help make sure things run smoothly.
Hannah's background is in the not-for-profit sector focused on fundraising, events, partnerships and stakeholder relations. Beyond work, some of the things she enjoys are walking up mountains, swimming, cooking, learning Spanish and reading about history, travel & adventure.
Job Titles:
- Team Member / Events & Fundraising Manager
Hazel is primarily responsible for the efficient planning, coordination, fundraising and management of our events programme, including webinars, conference, and our showcase annual Community Rail Awards. Hazel is also jointly responsible for developing and servicing our corporate partnership scheme.
Hazel has worked for Community Rail Network for more than 18 years, and her background experience includes several years working as the development officer for the Colne Valley car share scheme, preceded by a period working at ‘Open Art', an ‘arts in mental health' organisation. In her spare time Hazel enjoys outdoor activities such as country walks and kayaking.
Job Titles:
- Team Member / Community Rail Support Officer ( North of England )
Ian provides support to our members across the north of England, and is their main point of contact. As well as providing advice and help with planning and a broad range of activities and projects, Ian brings an excellent appreciation of social inclusion, mental health and wellbeing, and is working with a range of partners in this area.
As a qualified teacher Ian has worked for several years with vulnerable young people and adults with specialist support needs to gain confidence, self-esteem and participation in community projects. Outside of work Ian enjoys horticulture, and has a keen interest in ancient history, cosmology and palaeontology.
Ian is from a professional railway background who currently works within a local authority solving travel issues.
As Vice chairman of the Wherry Lines Community Rail Partnership, he brings to the board a wealth of experience from his knowledge of the national rail network and how today's modern railway works. Ian has been involved in community railways since 1980 when he worked on the Tarka Line. His passions are branch lines and collecting historic railway documents.
Job Titles:
- Chairman
- Member of the Board
Jeremy has over 25 years senior level strategic commercial experience in UK rail in train operating companies and franchise bidding and running his consultancy specialising in marketing and commercial projects, largely within the rail sector. Prior to establishing his consultancy, Jeremy was deputy bid director, head of commercial development and commercial bid lead for Abellio UK.
Jeremy has been active in community rail for over 20 years and became an Honorary Member of Community Rail Network in 2005. He has presented widely on community rail and provided marketing input to the highly successful Interreg Project and run community rail seminars for the Department for Transport on marketing.
Job Titles:
- Team Member / Chief Executive
Jools oversees delivery of Community Rail Network's work in line with its strategic priorities. This includes leading and supporting the team, fostering relationships with the rail industry and third sector, advocating for community rail nationally, and working with the board to ensure the organisation's development.
Jools is a passionate believer in sustainable travel and communities making positive change. Her career has been dedicated to the third sector, with a focus on communications, campaigning and supporting grassroots action. Jools loves being outdoors, including walking, running and camping.
Job Titles:
- Team Member / Education and Youth Engagement Advisor
Karen is undertaking a part-time secondment with Community Rail Network advising staff and members on all matters Education and Youth Engagement. Karen chairs the Community Rail Education Network which meets monthly, and she continues to work at Community Rail Lancashire on Mondays and Fridays, where she leads the Education Team.
Karen has worked in community rail since 2018 after teaching in Bradford for ten years. In her spare time, she enjoys going on adventures with her son Laurie, volunteering in her local community and running - she's recently completed the London Marathon.
Karen retired from Network Rail in early 2022 after nearly thirty years as their Head of Performance and Customer Relationship. Karen worked closely with the train operating companies, managing the major stations on the NW route as well as the community rail team.
Now working as the Rail Partnership Officer for the Calder Valley Line, Karen is excited to bring her varied and interesting rail background to her role on the board.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board
- Vice Chair
- Rail Support Officer at Merseytravel
Marion works as a rail support officer at Merseytravel and has been involved in community rail for over ten years. She has worked in transport for over 23 years.
Marion chairs two community rail partnerships, West Lancs and Borderlands line, and chair of the award-winning Women in Community Rail, a movement which is growing and gaining traction across the country. She is also a cabinet member at Sefton Council with responsibility for Regeneration & Skills including supporting and delivering on business growth across the borough
Martin leads our team supporting our members across Wales and the North of England, ensuring community rail partnerships and station groups receive the support and advice that helps them succeed. He also works to ensure that community rail plays its part in creating a sustainable, inclusive transport future.
Besides his interest in sustainable travel, Martin is also a musician, playing traditional fiddle music for concerts and ceilidhs (and has been known to play on the Penistone Line and Tyne Valley Line folk music trains). He loves outdoor activities like walking, running and cycling.
Mick has been an active member of community rail for over 24 years, involved with both Purbeck Community Rail Partnership since its inception, and also with the North Downs Line Community Rail Partnership since its formation in 2017, via its parent body Southeast Communities Rail Partnership.
Prior to retirement, Mick's career was largely as a property adviser to local government. Since then he has been giving strategic property advice to Swanage (Heritage) Railway, and also to colleagues in community rail on a voluntary basis.
Job Titles:
- Team Member / Senior Administration Assistant
Patrick provides administrative support primarily to Dawn, but also the rest of the team. Starting as maternity cover, he is enjoying forging a career in community rail. His duties includes dealing with incoming correspondence, processing applications to the funds we administer, and the maintenance of our records.
When not at work, he can often be found going beyond West Yorkshire on his bike, or voraciously consuming film and music.
Job Titles:
- Team Member / Community Rail Support Manager ( Midlands and South of England )
Paul leads on supporting our members across the south and midlands, and is their main point of contact. He provides a wide range of support and advice on planning, projects and ideas, and brings particular expertise on use of digital within the voluntary and community sector.
Working with small community organisations and non-profit groups for almost 20 years, Paul is a person who can find answers and connect you to the right person, helping to turn ideas into activities. Away from work Paul can be found exploring old railway lines on his bike, or as part of the team who have preserved the prototype High Speed Train.
Job Titles:
- Team Member / Community Rail Development Coordinator ( Wales and Borders )
Rhiannon's role is to advise, inspire and develop community rail partnerships across Wales & Borders. She works closely with Transport for Wales and Welsh Government creating opportunities to increase impact of community rail on wellbeing, sustainable and active travel, sustainability, and inclusion.
She brings expertise of working in sustainability in higher education and for a major conservation charity specializing in sustainable places, behavioral change, climate action and mitigation. She is a Fellow of the RSA, Member of the Institute of Place Management, director of a Community Development Trust and a qualified carbon literacy trainer. In her spare time, she enjoys exploring secondhand bookshops, walking, and reading.
Richard has managed Britain's first rail partnership, the Devon & Cornwall Rail Partnership, based at the University of Plymouth, since 1998. He and the partnership have always been great enthusiasts for the Community Rail Network and particularly its role as a vehicle to encourage and help community rail partnership officers across the country to share ideas and experiences.
His ethos has always been to encourage everyone who wants to get involved with the railway and he strongly supports encouraging more station friends' groups and CRPs and Community Rail Network working to help them achieve what they want to at their local station as far as is possible.
Richard was awarded the MBE for services to the rail industry in the South West in the 2010 New Year's Honours. He is a Brentford FC season ticket holder and has supported the Bees for more than 35 years.
Rob joined Community Rail Network in July 2018 as a writer and researcher. He is responsible for supporting the team in championing community rail work via the creation of engaging and relevant content and resources, including reports and practical case studies to help share good practice.
Rob previously worked in journalism, and also has experience of contributing to nationwide research projects in the field of physical education and sport.
Away from work, Rob is a keen cricketer and footballer and also sings and plays guitar and keyboards in a band.
A member of Friends of Heaton Chapel Station in Greater Manchester, Roy's railway career was built in railway operations and management, embracing light rail and consultancy, Roy has also worked with the Department for Transport, train and tram operators on franchise development, safety, strategic planning, project management, financial assessments, train service innovations, customer service improvements, stakeholder relations and community rail.
Roy is a ‘people person', always seeking to proactively leading teams, motivating, developing and supporting individuals, and is looking forward to using this knowledge and experience to contribute to community rail and to serving the diverse community rail partnerships and station friends groups that make up community rail.
Job Titles:
- Team Member / Director of Communications & Policy
Job Titles:
- Team Member / Director of People & Funding
Sarah is responsible for overseeing our people agenda and culture. Focussing on achieving an inclusive and engaging workplace where our talented people are supported to develop and succeed in role. Sarah also oversees the strategic and operational development of our funding and works alongside the fundraising team to grow and diversify income streams.
Sarah has spent her career in the Third Sector with a focus on HR, fundraising and project management & delivery. She is an advocate for volunteering and the benefits this brings, both personally and at community level. She loves walking, reading and baking (and eating) cakes.