YNM wrote:Redirect Left wrote:As some of you may know. I volunteer at a rail station.
How does that work ? Do you just come in at some odd time or something ?
But yeah, given the common occurence of "volunteers" at british stations, it just shows their complacency. Heck, if I'm a regular user, I won't mind helping some things clean (though probably not emptying the larger cans.)
We specifically man an information desk, and some of us do some gardening too. I also do some other tasks as they come up if the staff are unavailable (generally they're in a meeting, or have all decided to take a break at the same time, there isn't much organisation...) and help people onto trains that need help, or have way too much luggage to handle by themselves. The rail station i'm at is one of the direct links into Manchester Airport.
As far as I know, non of the volunteers (certainly non of the people at the station i'm at) are directly hired or appointed by the train companies or Network Rail, they're just independent 'Friends of' groups that have been given nothing more but permission to operate where they are. We certainly at this point get absolutely zero co-operation from the train company of the stationn we're at beyond the space, and we're left to do what we can with the zero resources other than space provided by them.
I've tried to talk to high up people at Leeds to start a group there, as there is never any staff on the platforms outside of the ones directly next to the main entrance, but they ignore me, which I take as "no go away".
Honestly, all the operating companies in the Yorkshire area (probably with the few exceptions of Grand Central & East Midlands Trains) hugely suck, and wouldn't know proper public relations if it came up to them and flashed them and slapped them, after volunteering at a station for two years now, I've grown to have nothing but bitter resentment for them, now I have an understanding of the inside of the companies. From what is said, i'd suspect a few others from varying volunteer groups feel the same.
good thing about not directly working for anyone, i can say what i want and the exact truth and not have to fear my job