Thameslink Employees Honored with British Empire Medals

Two staff members from Thameslink have been presented with British Empire Medals, following their inclusion in the King’s Birthday Honours, in recognition of their service to the railway. The awards were given to Siggy Cragwell, 85, the company’s most senior employee based at Elstree and Borehamwood station, and Joe Healy, who serves as station manager for Luton Airport Parkway and Harpenden. Mr. Cragwell, who has dedicated 62 years to working on the railway, stated: “I’ve been wearing my medal and showing it to my passengers – I’ve been getting a lot of hugs and kisses.” Mr. Healy also received recognition for his contributions to empowering individuals with disabilities and special needs to feel more assured when traveling by train. He remarked: “To be awarded this is like the icing on the cake.” Previously, Mr. Cragwell featured in a BBC Teach video designed to educate children on the evolution of transport. He recounted his experiences using buses and bicycles during his upbringing in Barbados, noting that residents did not possess cars and trains were absent. His arrival in the UK was in 1962. Additionally, Mr. Cragwell has been the recipient of two lifetime achievement awards and served as the guest of honour at the unveiling of the National Windrush Monument at London Waterloo station in 2022, an event attended by the then Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. The station assistant indicated that he does not intend to retire in the foreseeable future. Mr. Healy’s tenure in the industry spans 24 years. Over eight of those years, he has coordinated ‘Try A Train’ events for educational institutions in Bedfordshire. These sessions are structured to empower individuals requiring extra assistance to achieve greater self-reliance when using train services. Mr. Healy stated: “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.”