Further to our updates over the past few weeks, we wanted to highlight some of the work we are doing to support our local suppliers and communities during this difficult time, alongside our continued running of train services to keep fellow key workers on the move.
Thanking key transport workers
Last Friday LNER, alongside the whole rail industry joined together to highlight the role of our people in keeping fellow key workers moving safely at this challenging time.
You may have seen #RailwayFamily posts on social media, including a video we created thanking our customers for undertaking essential travel only, fellow key workers including in the NHS for looking after the country, and our colleagues across the railway for keeping key workers moving.
Please do feel free to share these posts on Twitter and Facebook. If you are posting as well don’t forget to tag @LNER.
Supporting our local suppliers
LNER values the quality services and fantastic products provided by our local suppliers and we recognise that, as a major purchaser, we can do our bit to assist these local businesses in weathering this crisis so our customers can continue to enjoy their produce in the future.
In our last update we shared how we are supporting a key local supplier in Bradford by having 5,000 sandwiches that would usually be served on our trains each week go to anti-hunger charity FareShare instead.
We have also donated 520 eggs that we had in stock, and would have otherwise gone to waste, to Matthew Healy and the Foundry team to make #Yorkshire puddings for Sunday lunches being cooked today for hundreds of NHS frontline staff in Leeds.
In addition, we have provided the East Durham Trust with a large delivery of excess catering supplies, including yoghurts, cakes, and biscuits, for them to include in local food parcels for those most in need.
LNER Reserves, volunteering in our communities
During more normal times, our people play an active role supporting charitable causes to help us be a sustainable and responsible business – including fundraising for mental health charity and our official charity partner CALM, supporting Pride to promote diversity and inclusion in the railway, and working with young people and deprived groups to support them into roles in the railway.
Due to the current crisis, and with many of our frontline colleagues at home as we are running a significantly reduced service, we are working together as a business to support an even wider range of causes. To help with this, we have set up LNER Reserves, an advice and support network for LNER colleagues already volunteering their time in our communities and those wanting to start.
If you are aware of a local group on our route in need of volunteers, please just let us know and we can share it with the LNER Reserves.
If you have any questions about LNER’s response to COVID-19, please let us know
The latest information can be found on the dedicated page on our website lner.co.uk and Twitter @LNER
Questions relating to tickets and personal travel should continue to be directed to our Customer Service Team.