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Monday 30 Sep 2024

New headline speaker Ollie Ollerton joins the line-up of Rail Wellbeing Live 2024

Region & Route:

National

• Registration is open for the biggest free wellbeing event for the rail industry, Rail Wellbeing Live (RWL)
• Dates are 5-7 November
• Over 40 pick ‘n’ mix sessions to choose from, all free to attend
• Evening sessions for night shift workers
• Register by visiting www.RWL24.co.uk

Rail Wellbeing Live returns for its fifth year, with a vast array of high-profile speakers taking part in this year’s event. We’re delighted to announce we’ll be joined by former UK Special Forces Soldier and star of Channel 4's SAS: Who Dares Wins, Ollie Ollerton.

Ollie speaks in place of previously announced headliner, Sir Ranulph Fiennes, who has had to withdraw from joining RWL’24 due to unforeseen circumstances.

Accompanying Ollie at the top of the bill is Olympian Dame Kelly Holmes, ex-England footballer Stuart Pearce MBE and author, presenter and campaigner Katie Piper OBE.

The three-day, online event offers everyone in the rail industry the opportunity to come together and connect with colleagues and high-profile speakers for inspiration, tips and guidance on how to tackle a wide range of health and wellbeing issues.

Commenting on why RWL is important, Ruth Busby, Chair of the Rail Wellbeing Live Steering Board and People and Transformation Director at Great Western Railway and Network Rail Wales and Western, said: 

“Rail Wellbeing Live is such a fantastic event and I’m proud to be a part of it. Events like this give us all the opportunity to take stock and really invest in ourselves.

“All too often, we don’t prioritise our health and wellbeing and can suffer as a consequence. Taking part in one or more of these fantastic sessions will give you the tools to make a positive change – whether that be mentally, physically, emotionally or financially. 

“I’d especially like to ask line managers to encourage their team to join a RWL session. Even if you can’t join live, sessions are available afterwards so please register and watch at a time that is convenient.  

“It doesn’t matter where you are in the rail industry, we all have similar challenges. I very much look forward to everyone coming together to improve wellbeing as one, big, railway family.” 

RWL’24 will address all aspects of health and wellbeing in an engaging, fun way.

Highlights of the programme include MasterChef’s Amar Latif OBE (Being limitless), Robert Hobson (Ultra processed food), Dr Supriya McKenna (The narcissist next door), Dr Sophie Mort (A manual for being human), Joshua Fletcher (Untangle your anxiety), Dr Hannah Critchlow (The power of collective thinking), Prof. Sam Wass (How the modern world is changing children), Dr Gemma Newman (Get well, stay well) and Alex Holmes (Time to talk: How men think about mental health).

Appearing during the opening session ‘Welcome to Rail Wellbeing Live 2024’, will be Network Rail Chief Executive, Andrew Haines, along with a panel featuring Alex Hynes, Director General, Rail Services, Department for Transport; Claire Mann, Chief Operating Officer, Transport for London; Joana Faustino, Principal Health and Wellbeing Specialist, Rail Safety and Standards Board; and Syed Asim Shah, Shift Station Manager, Network Rail. The focus of the discussion will be mental wellbeing in challenging times.  We’ll also announce the winner of this year’s Wellbeing Hero Award.

Rail Wellbeing Live is fully funded by organisations across the industry that want to take an active role in supporting the health and wellbeing of their colleagues. They are Angel Trains, Arriva, AtkinsRéalis, BAM Nuttall, c2c, CAF, Department for Transport, Eversholt Rail, FirstGroup, GTR, Keolis, LNER, Network Rail, Octavius, RSSB, Siemens and West Midlands Railway.