Get involved in Work Week!

Don’t forget, Swindon Panel is taking part in Didcot Railway Centre’s “Work Weeks” in August. This is where teams from many groups of the projects around the site have a concerted week of work on their favourite projects. It hopefully helps to get new people involved as well.

The work weeks are: 30 July – 7 August and 20 August – 29 August

SPS will be in attendance every day – 10am until 4pm (or finish) – and you are welcome to join us!

Some of the many tasks on the Agenda:
– Progress fitting of doors to the panel building.
– Stripping of redundant cables from inside the panel
– Preparing metalwork (painting, drilling, etc) for simulator frame
– Installing framework in the rear of the panel
– Soldering of components to simulator PCBs
– Turning the panel frame so that the direction of roll is forwards-backwards instead of side-to-side
– CE group building work if you prefer something heavier-duty!

There will also be activities planned such as evening opening of the Black Python bar, and a trip to the Fawley Hill Railway near Henley on Thursday 4 August.

Hot food is available on site from the restaurant.

More details of DRC’s work week are available on their website.

It would help us to plan if you could let us know if you plan to attend and roughly which days. There is no cut-off date to join in, dropping-in on the day also welcome!

Network Rail Employees……

Did you know…

Network Rail encourages its employees of all grades to take 5 days’ paid “volunteer leave” per year to support UK-registered charities.

The company believes social performance is an integral part of its commitment to sustainability, particularly in two key themes of “Caring for Communities” and “Improving the Passenger Experience”. Respecting Britain’s Railway Heritage falls within these themes, and therefore working with Swindon Panel Society (registered charity number 1159646) qualifies. Some SPS members have already enjoyed the benefits of this opportunity.

What could be better than being paid to enjoy your hobby!

One of the two Work Weeks are an ideal opportunity to take advantage of this.

To arrange your volunteer leave to volunteer with SPS:

* If you use E-Business you will need to request your leave via Leave of Absence on the E-Business Suite. Select Volunteering “Charitable or Volunteering Community Engagement” from the absence type.

* If you do not use the E-Business Suite you’ll need to complete a volunteering leave form, available on Connect. You will need your line manager’s agreement to be released from duty.

* If you complete a paper timesheet you will also need to add this as volunteering leave.

Please to the Volunteering leave policy (available on Connect), before requesting your leave.

If you need any help with volunteering ideas please email the “Charitablegiving” mailbox in the Outlook address book.

AND…

Even if you don’t work for Network Rail, your company might have similar volunteering schemes