MORE than 100 members of staff at York-based LNER have signed up to a new 'reserves' of volunteers to help the NHS, emergency services, charities and other organisations during the coronavirus outbreak.

Among those to join the reserves is duty team leader Stuart Rawcliffe, who is also a part-time fire fighter and has recently been trained to drive ambulances and temporarily freed up from his duties by the train operator.

Stuart said: “I feel proud to be able to offer additional support to the ambulance service during the coronavirus pandemic. It’s great that the LNER Reserves helps people from around the business do the same.”

An LNER apprentice, Rene Kotlar has begun volunteering with a charity that fights food hunger and is helping their delivery teams distribute food, and 'customer experience host Julianna Laszlo has been providing telephone support for people who are self-isolating.

She said: "I felt the urge to help and do what I can to assist my community and the NHS and show people that they are not alone.”

Managing director David Horne said LNER was doing all it could to keep key workers moving but also wanted to stay connected to the communities it served.