Great Western Railway train name fame for a hospital hero and ‘mask tree’ creator

Two community heroes from Wiltshire who selflessly helped others at the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic are to have their names featured on the side of a Great Western Railway train.

Liz Gallagher, from Swindon’s Great Western Hospital, and Community Mask Tree founder Naomi Betts, from Amesbury, have been chosen as BBC Make a Difference Superstars.

The pair were selected by judges following a link-up between the BBC and train operator GWR to celebrate those community heroes who have been going above and beyond during the pandemic.

Now plans are being made for their names to be added to either end of a high-speed Intercity Express Train. 

Liz, a nurse of 40 years’ experience, delayed her retirement to stay on as ward manager of the Intensive Care Unit at the Great Western Hospital. She ensured they had enough ventilators and PPE and also set up a second unit to cope with Covid-19 patients. She has since ‘retired’ but is back at the hospital in a part-time nursing role.

‘Mask tree’ founder Naomi Betts

Naomi created a ‘mask tree’ to hang the face coverings she had been sewing for anyone in the community who needed them. Her social media post went viral and to date 418 ‘mask trees’ have been registered across the UK. 

Naomi’s tree has raised £3,200 to the Hope for Hasti charity and delivered almost 4,000 reusable face coverings. With the help of her team she also installed a ‘mask tree’ in Salisbury District Hospital, distributing 2,000 reusable face coverings and raising more than £2,000 for The Stars Appeal.

GWR Interim Managing Director Matthew Golton said:  

“The GWR has a long and proud history of naming trains after Great Westerners – past and present heroes from across our network – and to that list now we can add the names of Liz Gallagher and Naomi Betts from Wiltshire.

“It has been a privilege to partner with the BBC Make a Difference campaign and learn more about people like Liz and Naomi who have helped to make such a huge difference in their communities during the pandemic. 

“Listening to BBC local radio we were particularly overwhelmed by the stories of these two winners and I hope our train-naming ceremonies will serve as a fitting tribute to them.”

BBC Wiltshire was one of nine local radio stations to team up with GWR and the names of 18 Make a Difference Superstars will adorn its high-speed trains. 

Rail Minister Chris Heaton-Harris said: 

“I have been blown away by the efforts of all the Covid-19 heroes during the course of the pandemic. Their dedication and compassion has been truly heart-warming, and made a huge difference in their communities. 

“These trains will be a lasting reminder of all those who have gone the extra mile to keep this country going.”

Stephanie Marshall, head of the BBC in the West and South West, said: 

“The pandemic may have been the worst of times for many of us, but it has brought out the best in so many people.

“Since lockdown began nearly two million listeners have contacted their BBC local radio station either looking for help, or in many cases offering it out through the Make a Difference campaign. 

“The stories of local heroism have helped put a smile on faces across the country and I’m incredibly proud that our local radio teams played a part in that.”

With more people starting to use trains again operators are reminding passengers to:  

• plan ahead – travel at quieter times where they can, buy a ticket online and in advance, and book ahead if you need travel assistance
• consider others – wear a face covering unless you’re exempt, not travelling if you have Covid symptoms and consider others, not all disabilities can be seen
• stay safe – maintaining your distance wherever possible; wash your hands and carry hand sanitiser, paying contactless where you can

GWR has been providing rail services throughout the pandemic and has worked to ensure that these are as safe as possible. This includes increased cleaning regimes and the use of a virucidal spray; extra staff at key stations to offer help and guidance; and processes in place to help customers maintain a safe distance where possible such as restricting the number of reservations available.  

Notes to editors 
Great Western Railway (GWR) provides high speed, commuter, regional and branch line train services. We help over 100 million passengers reach their destinations every year - across South Wales, the West Country, the Cotswolds, and large parts of Southern England. 
  We’re currently seeing the biggest investment in the network since Brunel so we can offer more trains, more seats, and shorter, more frequent journeys and continue the network’s heritage of helping connect more businesses to new and prosperous markets. Through a series of initiatives we aim to be a good neighbour to the communities we serve and are committed to making a positive social impact in those regions. Learn how we're Building a Greater West at GWR.com. GWR is a FirstGroup company.