Syrian refugee's name emblazoned on Great Western Railway train to celebrate community work

A Syrian refugee who now resides in the West Midlands had a train named after him in honour of his contributions to the local community.

Mazen Salmou, a former TV presenter, fled the conflict in his home country back in 2019 as part of Worcestershire County Council’s refugee settlement programme and made a new life for himself in Bromsgrove - gaining new friends and even becoming valedictorian at Birmingham City University to up-skill himself.

When Covid-19 hit a year after his arrival, his new-found home struggled with new pressures as local pharmacies found it difficult to make deliveries to people in need of medication. But Mazen couldn't sit idly by and watch the town that gave him a fresh start struggle and set out on a one-man mission to "help the community that has welcomed me" by taking on the deliveries himself on his bike every day.

Now, he is being commended for his selfless act by having his name on the side of Intercity Express Train number 800031 with Great Western Railway after being selected as a BBC Make a Difference Superstar.

Speaking with the Express & Star about his achievement, he said: "It all started when I saw people posting in a local Facebook group about needing help with deliveries of medication from the pharmacies during the lockdown.

"I had joined the group back in 2019 to get to know people in my local community and when I saw this at the start of the pandemic I knew I had to help. I was delivering medications everyday because pharmacies needed someone to deliver for them.

"I just wanted to give back to the community that have given me so much. I never expected to get anything from it but soon I was being interviewed by the BBC and being given an award. It was only about helping my neighbours for me."

At the other end of the train, GWR staff member Charlotte Marsland, from Stourport-on-Severn, Worcestershire, has also been recognised for her work in the community. She set up the Stourport Mutual Aid Facebook group to help isolated people access food, which attracted dozens of volunteers.

The team supported hundreds of families in the area, delivering Easter treats, food and prescriptions, as well as providing dog-walking services and telephone buddies.

Head of audio and digital for BBC England Chris Burns congratulated the pair: "We have been amazed by the response of many listeners to our Make a Difference campaign on Local BBC Radio, as listeners have been helping each other out throughout the pandemic.

"It has been humbling to learn about the kind-hearted efforts of so many in our communities and Mazen and Charlotte are great examples to the rest of us. Congratulations to them and to the team at BBC Hereford & Worcester."

Great Western Railway Interim Regional Development Manager (East) Tom MacLachlan added: "Mazen and Charlotte went to incredible lengths to support their communities and we’re thrilled to add their names to the side of an Intercity Express Train.

"The GWR has a long and proud history of naming trains after Great Westerners – past and present heroes from across our network – and it’s a real treat to add these two community stalwarts to that list. It was a privilege to partner with the BBC Make a Difference campaign and the stories which featured on BBC local radio were truly overwhelming."