King’s Birthday Honours List: Luton Airport Parkway station manager awarded BEM for making railway more accessible
Luton Airport Parkway’s station manager has been recognised with a British Empire Medals (BEM) for his commitment to making railways more inclusive to people with disabilities.
Joe Healy, 49, has been in the industry for over 20 years and set himself a mission to give people with special educational needs and disabilities greater confidence to use the railway.
For more than eight years, he has organised ‘Try A Train’ days for Dunstable College, Bedford College and Autism Bedfordshire, encouraging young people to have the confidence to get on trains.
Joe said: “Everybody has a right to travel no matter what their disability. Why should we have somebody sitting at home thinking they can’t get out, they can’t travel because they’re too anxious or afraid, even to come to a train station? We need to break that down and if there’s anything I can do then I’m definitely going to do it.
“When I got this award, I was so surprised. To me, honestly, doing what I do on the railway is like a dream and then to be awarded this is like the icing on the cake. I never ever thought I’d be getting a BEM. It’s crazy!”
The station manager volunteers with NOAH Enterprise and helps disadvantaged people apply for jobs on the railway and do mock interviews.
He added: “I remember there was a lady who always used to hide her face and not really talk, but then one day she came running up to me because she wanted to tell me she’d got a job as a carer! It’s moments like those that are truly rewarding.”