Latest news with #KathrynO'Brien
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
‘Woke' rail company fails to mention women in free tampon scheme
A train company has failed to mention women or females in a free tampon scheme. Avanti West Coast instead referred to 'customers' and 'people' who may benefit from the rollout of the toiletries. On Wednesday, the train company announced that free period care would be available on its trains. The Package for a Friend scheme, which coincides with Menstrual Hygiene Day, allows 'customers' to request pads from staff in the onboard shop. Alternatively, the company said travellers could place an order on their click and collect service to discreetly pick up goods from a member of staff without having to ask. It said the scheme was thought of following suggestions from employees, including those involved in the operator's Gender Network, to 'help customers when in need'. Kathryn O'Brien, the customer experience director at Avanti West Coast, said: 'We want everyone to have a comfortable journey when travelling with us, and know the importance of making essential items available on board our trains to enable this. 'So we're pleased to now be offering free period care, and hope our customers will feel reassured they can access them when they need during their journey.' However, the official release made no mention of women or females, with critics accusing Avanti of being 'extremely offensive' to women. Mary Howden, of the Women's Rights Network, told The Telegraph: 'While it is commendable that Avanti West Coast is offering its customers period products, it is disappointing that it fails to acknowledge that those customers will all be women. 'The erosion of language that relates only to women is not inclusive. It is clumsy and often unclear, and many women find it extremely offensive.' It is understood that Avanti West Coast used the term 'customers' to make sure travellers know that the free period products made available are available to all. It comes after the company was accused of 'virtue-signalling nonsense' after repainting one of its trains in diversity-themed livery. The train was painted in bold artwork celebrating the diversity of its workforce and the communities it serves. However, the move sparked a backlash as Gareth Bacon, the shadow transport secretary, claimed passengers deserved 'better than this farce'. An Avanti spokesman declined to comment when approached by The Telegraph. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Telegraph
03-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Telegraph
I don't care what colour my train is, just make it run on time
The cost has not been revealed but what was unveiled this week, in a tented siding to select media, was an Avanti West Coast train adorned in bright, swirling colours with images of folk dancing, tapping drums and playing the saxophone. Musical notes and love hearts float about and, in a hippyish Woodstock font, are the capitalised words: 'Together We Roll.' This is not, apparently, indicative of what happens to passengers in the event of a train crash, but a joyous representation of the ethnicities of staff and communities that are associated with the Avanti network. The artwork, or livery to give it its technical term, stretches across all seven carriages of the new Evero rolling stock, which, trainspotting nerds will tell you, is Avanti-owner Hitachi Rail's new type of 'bi-mode multiple unit' (which sounds like a gay bouncer). The livery is bright and jolly, which is a decidedly poor reflection of the general demeanour of travellers who grind up and down the West Coast main line daily, ferried by Avanti which, according to the most recent figures from the Office of Rail and Road, has the worst record for delays in the UK. The work, said one commuter, had 'all the cachet of Soviet-era socialist realism'. Another raged: 'I'm so sick of this I want to scream.' Thus comes what Avanti must think is a wizardly piece of sleight of hand, some cheeky misdirection. Passengers weep into their morning cereal at the prospect of another commuter train delay, while Avanti, with much song and dance, reveals the bombastic creativity of artist Baraka Carberry, whose work acts as a sort of invitation to graffiti other trains. 'Nothing like this has been seen on the UK's railways,' chirruped Kathryn O'Brien, Avanti West Coast customer experience director, whose very job title makes one interrogate the soundness of reality. And nothing like that has been seen for good reason, because we train habitués would rather hope a train operator's mission would be to get the things running on time before they started spraying an artist's indelible – and expensive – endeavours all over them. Joining this deluded rabbit-hole chorus was even Lord Hendy, Minister for Rail. 'Diversity is the key to success of any industry,' he said. And there we were thinking it might be stuff like: going to the office, costing out exclusive freight lines, or working out ways to improve lighting and air conditioning. But no, what the railways need, says his lordship, is creative work that goes 'a long way to sparking conversations, encouraging inclusion'. He added: 'We still have a long way to go until we have a railway which reflects the society we live in.' Indeed, I look forward to one such 'angry' train. A bright red one, presumably, like the frequently cross James in Thomas The Tank Engine. Given Avanti's poor record, it surely expected a heap of opprobrium to land on it the second it unveiled such a monument to hubris. Yet it went ahead anyway, suggesting it doesn't just ignore its customers, it is positively contemptuous of them. What a calm and cohesive society needs is not to have multiculture rammed down its throat. A decent society operates instead in a culture of civil co-dependence and mutual appreciation, of earnest endeavour, respect, order, rule of law and wise governance. Although I know, these days, that in itself sounds like Alice in Wonderland. I love trains. I opt for the railway every time over the car. Yet so often trains are late, the WiFi is deficient and the expense, eye-watering. But get me to town on time and you can paint my trains in whatever damn colours take your fancy.
The Independent
30-04-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
New ‘vibrant' train design to enter service this summer
A new Avanti West Coast train will be wrapped in bold artwork that celebrates the ethnicity of its operator's workforce and the communities it serves. The design, titled Together We Roll, will stretch the entire length of a new seven-carriage Evero train set to enter passenger service this summer. Digital artist Baraka Carberry, who created the work following a suggestion from the operator's frontline workers, said it shows 'scenes of people, culture, colours and joy'. Avanti West Coast customer experience director Kathryn O'Brien said: 'Nothing like this has been seen on the UK's railways. 'We're incredibly proud of this unique train and who it represents. 'By bringing to life the vibrant communities we serve and our employees, we hope to highlight the many people of different cultures, backgrounds and heritage who have a connection to the railway.' She acknowledged there is 'still more to be done' at Avanti West Coast and across the wider rail industry to have a workforce 'representative of society and the communities we serve'. She added: 'We are passionate about playing our part to attract talent from all backgrounds. 'This vibrant train marks our latest step towards this by sparking conversations about ethnicity and bringing a sense of togetherness across the west coast and beyond.' Rail minister Lord Hendy said: 'Diversity is key to the success of any industry and creative work like this goes a long way in sparking conversations, encouraging inclusion and may inspire more people to choose a career in rail. 'We still have a long way to go until we have a railway which reflects the society we live in, but Together We Roll shows Avanti West Coast's commitment to representing more of the communities they serve, and I look forward to seeing Baraka's artwork out on the track.' Carberry described the design as 'a living, evolving artwork that has the potential to resonate with the public'. She added: 'My hope is that people will connect with the universal moments captured here and reflect on their own unique legacies.' In October 2023 it named a train Asquith Xavier after the first black person to work as a guard at Euston station in 1966.
STV News
30-04-2025
- Entertainment
- STV News
New ‘vibrant' train design celebrates ethnicity of workforce
A train has been wrapped in bold artwork celebrating the ethnicity of its operator's workforce and the communities it serves. Digital artist Baraka Carberry, who created the work for Avanti West Coast, said it shows 'scenes of people, culture, colours and joy'. The Together We Roll design stretches across all seven carriages of a new Evero train which enters passenger service this summer. It was produced following a suggestion from the operator's frontline workers. Avanti West Coast customer experience director Kathryn O'Brien said: 'Nothing like this has been seen on the UK's railways. 'We're incredibly proud of this unique train and who it represents. 'By bringing to life the vibrant communities we serve and our employees, we hope to highlight the many people of different cultures, backgrounds and heritage who have a connection to the railway.' She acknowledged there is 'still more to be done' at Avanti West Coast and across the wider rail industry to have a workforce 'representative of society and the communities we serve'. PA Media Artist Baraka Carberry created the design. She added: 'We are passionate about playing our part to attract talent from all backgrounds. 'This vibrant train marks our latest step towards this by sparking conversations about ethnicity and bringing a sense of togetherness across the west coast and beyond.' Rail minister Lord Hendy said: 'Diversity is key to the success of any industry and creative work like this goes a long way in sparking conversations, encouraging inclusion and may inspire more people to choose a career in rail. 'We still have a long way to go until we have a railway which reflects the society we live in, but Together We Roll shows Avanti West Coast's commitment to representing more of the communities they serve, and I look forward to seeing Baraka's artwork out on the track.' Carberry described the design as 'a living, evolving artwork that has the potential to resonate with the public'. She added: 'My hope is that people will connect with the universal moments captured here and reflect on their own unique legacies.' Avanti West Coast runs services on the West Coast Main Line between London Euston and Scotland. In October 2023, it named a train Asquith Xavier after the first black person to work as a guard at Euston station in 1966. Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
Powys County Times
30-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Powys County Times
New ‘vibrant' train design celebrates ethnicity of workforce
A train has been wrapped in bold artwork celebrating the ethnicity of its operator's workforce and the communities it serves. Digital artist Baraka Carberry, who created the work for Avanti West Coast, said it shows 'scenes of people, culture, colours and joy'. The Together We Roll design stretches across all seven carriages of a new Evero train which enters passenger service this summer. It was produced following a suggestion from the operator's frontline workers. Avanti West Coast customer experience director Kathryn O'Brien said: 'Nothing like this has been seen on the UK's railways. 'We're incredibly proud of this unique train and who it represents. 'By bringing to life the vibrant communities we serve and our employees, we hope to highlight the many people of different cultures, backgrounds and heritage who have a connection to the railway.' She acknowledged there is 'still more to be done' at Avanti West Coast and across the wider rail industry to have a workforce 'representative of society and the communities we serve'. She added: 'We are passionate about playing our part to attract talent from all backgrounds. 'This vibrant train marks our latest step towards this by sparking conversations about ethnicity and bringing a sense of togetherness across the west coast and beyond.' Rail minister Lord Hendy said: 'Diversity is key to the success of any industry and creative work like this goes a long way in sparking conversations, encouraging inclusion and may inspire more people to choose a career in rail. 'We still have a long way to go until we have a railway which reflects the society we live in, but Together We Roll shows Avanti West Coast's commitment to representing more of the communities they serve, and I look forward to seeing Baraka's artwork out on the track.' Carberry described the design as 'a living, evolving artwork that has the potential to resonate with the public'. She added: 'My hope is that people will connect with the universal moments captured here and reflect on their own unique legacies.' Avanti West Coast runs services on the West Coast Main Line between London Euston and Scotland. In October 2023 it named a train Asquith Xavier after the first black person to work as a guard at Euston station in 1966.
