"People really appreciate it if there’s a problem"
Retired teacher Anne Cass became a Grand Central volunteer five years ago after seeing an advert in her local newspaper. “It was a service I already used and I thought I would like to help,” she says, “A lot of my former pupils are travelling up and down the country so it’s lovely to see them doing their own thing and it’s always nice for them to see a friendly face they know.”
The presence of ambassadors on the platform really makes a difference in times of trouble, Anne says, “People really appreciate it if there’s a problem. There’s no ticket machine on this side of the platform so when they make the ‘please get your ticket ahead of travelling’ announcement that can cause some consternation.”
It also helps the trains run efficiently: “Getting people to the right end of the platform helps the guards when the train arrives,” says Anne, who’s also secretary of the Friends of Brighouse Station, responsible for the much-admired (and award-winning) floral arrangements. She adds, “We get so many positive comments about how nice the station looks and how welcoming it is.”