TfGM wins ‘Everyday Heroes’ Organisation of the Year award

Gary Bowker and Paul Clough

Transport leaders in Greater Manchester have received a top honour at a national event celebrating life savers and first aid champions. Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) was named ‘Organisation of the Year’ at the St John Ambulance Everyday Heroes awards.

Gary Bowker, Rochdale Bus Station supervisor, said: “It’s great that TfGM has been recognised for the work it’s done to make sure our bus station teams are trained to give first aid to customers, and I definitely feel I’ve benefited from the training. It’s good to know that we can step in and help if a passenger is ill or injured – and potentially even save a life.”

Mr Bowker’s manager, Paul Clough, bus station duty manager at Rochdale and Middleton, added: “Safety is a top priority at TfGM’s bus stations and interchanges, and ensuring that frontline staff like me and my colleagues are trained in first aid is vital.

“Since I completed the training I feel much more confident about putting my first aid skills to use, and I hope our customers feel safer knowing there would be a trained first aider to hand in an emergency.”

Howard Hartley, head of bus at TfGM, said: “Providing a high-quality service and looking out for the safety of all our passengers is absolutely vital and part of the day job for us. That’s why we’ve invested in first aid training for our frontline staff and kitted out all our interchanges with potentially lifesaving defibrillators.”

Simon Dunn, regional director at St John Ambulance in the North, said: “It’s right that we take the time to recognise these truly remarkable people on a national stage as their stories really show the difference first aid can make. 

“They are an inspiration and should all be incredibly proud of their achievements. I’d urge everyone to download the St John Ambulance app or go to our website, first aid is so easy to learn and it could help you save a life.”

TfGM, which owns and staffs all Greater Manchester bus stations and interchanges, was among 11 winners on the night, recognised for its 'outstanding level of investment in first aid awareness, equipment and training of staff'.

Every year people make around 270 million journeys on public transport across Greater Manchester and TfGM works to make those journeys as easy and as safe as possible.

TfGM has invested in first aid training for its frontline staff and has installed potentially lifesaving defibrillators at all of its interchanges.