Arriva Rail London (ARL)’s customer experience team has helped Transport for London (TfL) to recognise the unsung heroes of Havering.

TfL’s community competition set out to celebrate Havering locals for their outstanding contributions to the community. Simone Gordon, customer experience manager at ARL for the Liberty and Weaver lines, reviewed the list of nominations and selected one of the winners: Rebecca Mazrreku.

Lauren Hayden and Weininger Irwin were also selected as winners for their community work:

• Lauren Hayden has gone above beyond as a mental health champion. She is dedicated to tackling loneliness and creating inclusive spaces for people to flourish and grow. Lauren set up a community social group in Havering for over 55s that allows people to meet new friends, socialise in a warm environment, and take part in various activities such as chair yoga and talks from charitable groups.
• Rebecca Mazrreku, Chair of Elm Park Community Association, played a pivotal role in transforming Elm Park Assembly Hall from a neglected space in danger of closing into a thriving community hub that regularly hosts events including craft fairs, exercise classes, a warm hub for elderly residents and faith groups. Rebecca’s inclusive leadership, her dedication to a range of causes such as opening up volunteering opportunities to disabled people, and her resilience in the face of adversity, make her a true pillar of the community.
• Weininger Irwin is the force behind ‘Cool Rowings’, an initiative in Romford that aims at improving physical and mental health through adaptive sports and rowing classes, particularly for underrepresented groups. Beyond this, Weininger supports numerous charitable causes, having raised thousands of pounds for Comic Relief and brought awareness to health issues such as prostate cancer. Weininger perfectly exemplifies an ‘unsung hero’, never seeking out personal recognition for his work but rather focusing on spreading the word about the benefits of exercise and the importance of inclusion.

The winners have been awarded special London Overground Liberty line prizes, including a trip in a driver’s cab, a tour of a railway control centre in Romford and an invitation to see the first new London Overground Liberty line signs in place.

Simone said: “It has been truly inspiring to read all the nominations, which are a testament to the strong community spirit that makes Havering so special. The competition winners are united by a passion for community service while representing the diversity of the borough and reminding us of the many ways that people can have a positive impact on those around them.”