June Povey – Community Rail Partnership Officer

I started my current role as a Community Rail Officer in 2019. My previous experience was in IT in transport related organisations. First, Essex County Council as a business partner for Highways and Transportation; then 12 years with Transport for London. Don’t get too excited, the role of a business partner needs a thin bit of knowledge over a wide area.

I always really enjoyed learning about the business side of things and wanted to build on that. But I have learned a lot about sustainable transport working here. Living near County Hall and the train station really helps a lot as walking and cycling are good options.

The variety. It’s a complete mix of the strategic and hands-on. For example, last week I was part of a working party which planted 350 daffodil bulbs in hard, dry, poor soil and then this week we will be at Greater Anglia’s adopter awards where we get an insight into how Greater Anglia runs and our amazing volunteers get recognised for all their hard work.

Next year will be the 175th anniversary of the opening of the Chappel viaduct and the Marks Tey-Sudbury Gainsborough Line. We are planning some special events for this including: a music hall train, a walk, a talk about the history of the line and turning some unused land at the station into a commemorative garden. Should be good

My history teacher whose praise and encouragement led me to do a degree in History and English when I had only been planning to do English.My history teacher whose praise and encouragement led me to do a degree in History and English when I had only been planning to do English.

I am Welsh, born in Wales but don’t speak Welsh.

That something happens to my sons. My oldest is a long-distance cyclist (think Ride London) and he recently cycled Kings Cross to Weybridge with some friends, went out for a drink in the evening, didn’t wake up until the following lunchtime. I knew he was fine, but, hey, I’m his mother so I worry until I get a message from him.

Some creative people such as Doris Lessing, Frieda Kahlo, Pablo Picasso, Grayson Perry… I am sure that would be really wacky and also, as it’s a dream, I wouldn’t be doing the cooking!

To read my two sons’ minds, then I would be able to understand what goes through their heads, it is sometimes a complete mystery to me.

I always love a hotel breakfast buffet. Everything you can think of to eat, not to mention sparkling wine at breakfast.

My first job after university was as a trainee computer programmer. In the days where the computer was in a hallowed room and it took all day to run your program, only for it to fail because you had missed out a my first job after university was as a trainee computer programmer. In the days where the computer was in a hallowed room and it took all day to run your program, only for it to fail because you had missed out a full stop in the wrong place. I got through a lot of reading, whilst I was waiting for the results to come back. Worse was when it did work but the user (who we never saw) had changed their mind about what they wanted.

I'm helping at the sea shanty event train. Two totally sold-out trips from Manningtree to Harwich to the annual sea shanty festival. We also have shanty singers on the train.