This Week Friday 17 October 2014
This Week headlines...
London Poppy Day: Wear Your Medal to Work Day LOROL remembers Karen Huggan West Anglia project – focus on Operations Michael Clarke is ‘Step’n around da Overground’ Celebrating our staff who go the extra mile Book now for your flu jab New health screening benefit added to LOROL Extras
London Poppy Day: Wear Your Medal to Work Day
In support of this year’s London Poppy Day on Thursday 30 October, LOROL is introducing a ‘Wear your Medal to Work Day’. This means that if you have a medal you would like to wear to work in support and gratitude of those who have served in the armed forces, LOROL would like you to do so.
You don’t have to be ex-Service to take part in this – everyone at LOROL is a hero!
If you have children or grandchildren, nieces or nephews, godchildren, or links to local schools, then ask them to design and make you one. The aim of this is to support London Poppy Day in our own way and get as many people involved across the London Overground as possible, both customers and staff.
All we ask is that you are sensible and don’t put yourself at risk by wearing valuables or something that contravenes health and safety.
If you do decide to take part and can get a photo of yourself with your medal at work or even with the designer who makes your medal for you, please send it to [email protected] by Sunday 2 November 2014.
The best medal wearer who submits a photo will receive a prize of £100 in high street vouchers to share with their medal designer. And the winner will be announced in This Week on Friday 7 November 2014.
LOROL remembers Karen Huggan
It is with great sadness that we share the news of the death of LOROL employee, Karen Huggan, a valued member of the Station Management team who died on Wednesday 15 October 2014 following a long and brave battle with cancer.
“Karen was a respected, highly regarded member of the Customer Service Roster Team rostering team, working for SIlverlink and LOROL for ten years. She concentrated on rostering the West area of the North London Line and our DC stations, but was known throughout LOROL by all grades of staff. “Personally it was a pleasure to work with and be a friend to Karen who always had a smile on her face and cheered everyone up on even the darkest of Monday mornings. She always made time to speak and have a chat to anyone who contacted her, and we will all miss her dearly,” said Glen Mays, Karen’s line manager and Stations Roster Manager.
Details of Karen’s funeral will be announced in due course, should employees wish to attend.
LOROL’s 24-hour employee helpline is available to all employees who may be affected by this news and would like to talk with a trained counsellor. Please call 0800 716 017 or go to http://www.firstassist.co.uk/employeecare/employeecare.aspx for more information, using access code ‘LOROL’ and password ‘LOROL’.
West Anglia project – focus on Operations
In preparation for the transfer of West Anglia services into the London Overground network from May 2015, a dedicated project team has been put together focusing on five key workstreams – Infrastructure, People, Operations, Fleet and Customer Service.
This Week spoke to Scott Ive, ELL Traincrew Manager, who is heading up the Operations workstream.
What is your role within the project team?
It’s my responsibility to ensure all operational aspects of the West Anglia project are in place and ready for the transfer of services. At this stage I’m focused on planning processes and systems. I also represent the West Anglia team in working groups set up to ensure Liverpool Street, as well as rostering and pay operate seamlessly.
Who else is working with you on this project stream?
I’m being assisted by a consultant, David Owen, who has experience of similar projects.I am also being supported by various members of staff at different points in the project. So, for example, we’re currently working on the permanent timetable so I’m spending time with Stephen Law and Andy Roberts from Train Planning.
What are the key immediate priorities for Operations?
It’s really important that the Train Planning Department is set up and resourced to meet the significant workload increase and that Chingford Depot is fully operational with robust supervisory and managerial structures. We’re also focused on ensuring that sufficient drivers are recruited to deliver the service and that timetables are resourced and as specified by Rail for London (RfL), as well as designing and putting in place systems to deliver our mandatory safety and performance targets.
Can you summarise the changes that LOROL staff can expect to see in the coming months?
The Operations side of the project is technically still in the design stages at the moment, and so tangible changes will be less obvious until later. And finally, what are you particularly enjoying about working on the WA project?
The West Anglia team is full of very positive people, which makes for an enjoyable working environment. And the project is a learning curve for me, both in terms of project work and fully understanding different aspects of the business. I have 28 years of railway experience, and yet I am developing at a faster rate now than I can ever remember which, from a professional perspective, can only be a good thing.
Michael Clarke is ‘Step’n around da Overground’!
LOROL Driver, Michael Clarke, is putting his best foot forward in November 2014 to complete a sponsored walk that will see him ‘Step’n around da Overground’ in aid of Pembridge Palliative Care Centre.
Look out for Michael while he’s on his walk:
- Tuesday 4 November: Watford to Euston - Wednesday 5 November: Stratford to Richmond - Thursday 6 November: Barking to Gospel Oak - Friday 7 November: Shepherds Bush to Clapham and New Cross - Monday 10 November: West Croydon to Crystal Palace and Dalston Junction
If you’d like to support Michael in his fundraising and make a donation to support Pembridge Palliative Care Centre, please email him on [email protected].
Good luck, Michael! This Week looks forward to reporting back on your challenge and sharing some photos of the LOROL stations and team members that you meet on your way!
Celebrating our staff who go the extra mile
Station Delivery Manager, Elizabeth Umoke, contacted This Week about the great customer service and team work last week when a passenger had a fit and became unconscious on a train from Clapham Junction to Stratford.
“As the passenger was unconscious the decision was made to de-train the other passengers at Kensal Rise and move the train, along with the ill passenger to Caledonian Road. The passenger, accompanied by Viveth Hardy, regained consciousness shortly after the train left Kensal Rise but it was clear that he spoke little or no English.
“Joseph Richter, who assisted the passenger off the train at Caledonian Road, contacted Katarzyna Masters at Acton Central to assist with translations to Polish over the phone. She was able to help establish that the passenger was on his way to work and that he suffered from diabetes. After requesting a drink and after assuring staff he felt much better, the passenger explained he wanted to return home and I accompanied him to his home station, Stonebridge Park.”
The combined efforts of LOROL team members, which also included Hourd Batiste who was dispatched to Kensal Rise to provide additional support, helped to prevent a major disruption to services and ensure that the ill passenger was safe and looked after. This week, Graham Naughton, Crime and Security Liaison Manager has also been in touch following a visit to Brockley.
“I was at Brockley to visit a staff member who had been verbally abused. As I was stood at the entrance with my ID displayed, a cheerful elderly female approached me and told me how helpful and friendly the staff are at Brockley and she thanked me regarding the way the staff at the station looked after her. She was clearly a happy customer with the service provided!”
Book now for your flu jab
Flu jab clinics will be held at various locations across the network over the next few weeks:
- Friday 24 October at Surrey Quays - Thursday 13 November at Willesden TMD - Friday 14 November at Overground House - Wednesday 19 November at OBC New Cross Gate
Appointments for the clinics are available to all staff on a first come, first served basis so to book your slot, please call the HR team on 020 3031 9325.
New health screening benefit added to LOROL Extras
A new health screening benefit is now available to LOROL employees, giving you the opportunity to access screening services for some of the most common types of cancer, including bowel, breast, lung, prostate and skin cancer, which make up over 85% of all cancer incidences in the UK.
“Under the new salary sacrifice scheme, you can sign up for screening services for as little as £4 per month for 12 months, offering peace of mind and easy access to screening at home, onsite or in private clinics,” explained Aneeksha Lad, HR Advisor.
For more information on the health screening services that are now available from HealthScreen UK, login to your LOROL Extras account. [hyperlink https://lorol.rewardgateway.co.uk/Campaign?c=48172]
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Vacancies
SQE Compliance Manager Overground House Full time, permanent Closing date: 24 October 2014
@websterfredster "Thank you very much for using the London Overground, we realise you could have also chosen to swim instead." #London #commuting :-)
@amirahvalu Can't wait for @LDNOverground to bring in 5 carriages
@MedEighty Longer #LondonOverground #trains! That's a pleasant #surprise; especially on a damp and miserable #Monday #TfL
@DanielJohnLynch @LDNOverground I don't think we'll need to worry about air conditioning today. Lol.
@IanJFincher @LDNOverground Looking forward to the five car trains appearing on the Highbury & Islington line soon.
@datreadway The train dispatcher on Platform 7 at Highbury & Islington makes me smile with his patter every morning @LDNOverground #customerfriendly
@LeagueOfRumble London Overground – Incredibly reliable service and friendly staff. Surprising for servicing such a busy part of London.