{"id":11583,"date":"2020-04-20T17:02:59","date_gmt":"2020-04-20T16:02:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.vccp.com\/?post_type=news&#038;p=11583"},"modified":"2020-08-27T16:43:20","modified_gmt":"2020-08-27T15:43:20","slug":"trainspotters-of-the-world-unite","status":"publish","type":"news","link":"https:\/\/www.vccp.com\/uk\/news\/2020\/apr\/trainspotters-of-the-world-unite","title":{"rendered":"Trainspotters of the world unite"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"lazyblock-two-column-text-quote-image-1RcwvS wp-block-lazyblock-two-column-text-quote-image\"><section class=\"fullwidth fullwidth--overflow \" data-aos=\"fade-up\">\r\n  <div class=\"container container--spaced-lg\">\r\n    \r\n    <div class=\"row\">\r\n      \r\n      <div class=\"col-md-6\">\r\n                \r\n                <blockquote class=\"blockquote blockquote--md-right\">\r\n          One of my favourite parts of the working week is getting the overground into the office each morning                  <\/blockquote>\r\n                \r\n  \t\t\t      <\/div>\r\n      \r\n      <div class=\"col-md-6\">\r\n    \t\t<div>I&#8217;ve always loved train journeys. I like seeing into people&#8217;s back gardens. I like the noise, rattle and rumble of trains. And I like the sense of common purpose I feel with my fellow passengers, chugging our way towards a shared destination.<\/div>\n<p><br \/>Given my locomotive fondness, it&#8217;s perhaps no coincidence that, from the back of my house, I can see the railway leading to Victoria station three stops up the track near to where I work and, in the other direction, down to Brighton and the south coast.<\/p>\n<div>I could never have expected two places that are geographically so close to feel so far away. Yet so it transpires. The pandemic has rooted all but essential workers to the spot. It is such an odd and alien experience. But this is why, despite the fact that I can&#8217;t use them, I love to see the trains even more.<\/div>  \t\t<\/div>\r\n  \t\t\r\n    <\/div>\r\n    \r\n  <\/div>\r\n<\/section><\/div>\n\n<div class=\"lazyblock-two-column-text-quote-image-Z11MvAj wp-block-lazyblock-two-column-text-quote-image\"><section class=\"fullwidth fullwidth--overflow \" data-aos=\"fade-up\">\r\n  <div class=\"container container--spaced-lg\">\r\n    \r\n    <div class=\"row\">\r\n      \r\n      <div class=\"col-md-6\">\r\n        <p>To me, they are a living symbol of what the recovery will represent when it arrives. This is in part because they will signal the return of my commuting routine, the cup of coffee on platform two at Wandsworth Common station and the occasional skirmish with an over-iced Danish pastry. These little pleasures, these little journeys, will for a while have the feel of an exorbitant luxury that not even Versace, Faberg\u00e9 or the Medicis could match.<br \/><br \/>But, I&#8217;m afraid, they will in time become utterly prosaic again. In a good way, but nevertheless in a mundane way. Which is why they are not the main part of my current infatuation with the rolling stock of south-west London. Because, for me, these inanimate, rolling objects represent much more than the promise of a return to a familiar and comfortable routine. They represent something far more profound and far more admirable. These are the vehicles of our salvation, the transport for our NHS workers, the freight for our post, our produce and our grain, the carriages for our shelf-stackers, our pharmacists, our building society workers, our teachers, our carers, our network engineers and our warehouse workers.<br \/><br \/>When I go for my one allocated bout of exercise each day (far more than my pre-Covid-19 strike rate, I might add, although not really meriting a tracksuit), I make a point of hugging the paths nearest the railway down from Bellevue all along Bolingbroke Grove to Clapham Junction, or along Boundaries Road and Chestnut Grove to Bedford Hill and Balham station. Each train I see feels like a blessing. Proof that the people who make our country run and who preserve our health are still going about their business, still showing true grit, still keeping us literally on track.<\/p>        \r\n                \r\n  \t\t\t      <\/div>\r\n      \r\n      <div class=\"col-md-6\">\r\n    \t\t<p>Of course I realise that south-west London&#8217;s overground train network is not wholly responsible for the preservation of our way of life. A vast armada of machinery from articulated lorries, tractors, trucks, dustbin lorries, fuel tankers, courier vans, delivery scooters, muck spreaders, Tube trains, police cars, private vehicles, ambulances, post vans, buses etc are all playing their vital part in the mobilisation of the legions of key workers who are keeping our country running. They alone are the people still travelling around our towns and cities to perform their essential roles. Taken together, the vehicles that transport them represent the visible side of an army that has too long remained invisible, hiding in plain sight in the seat next to me on my commute.<br \/><br \/>So, even though it&#8217;s not the full picture, I think it&#8217;s fair enough to view the 8.03 from Balham, or the 9.11 from Battersea, as symbolic of a heroic effort. To see them as rattling, trundling tributes not just to what our key workers are doing for us during the pandemic, but what they will continue to do for us when better times return, just as they did before the virus struck. It has, ironically, taken an invisible enemy to make fully visible what was there all along.\u00a0<\/p>  \t\t<\/div>\r\n  \t\t\r\n    <\/div>\r\n    \r\n  <\/div>\r\n<\/section><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":11,"template":"","categories":[191],"class_list":["post-11583","news","type-news","status-publish","hentry","category-agency-news"],"acf":{"news_id":"191","author":{"ID":930,"post_author":"2","post_date":"2020-07-02 12:04:34","post_date_gmt":"2020-07-02 11:04:34","post_content":"","post_title":"Charles Vallance","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"charles-vallance","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2026-01-19 12:22:45","post_modified_gmt":"2026-01-19 12:22:45","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.vccp.com\/?post_type=people&#038;p=930","menu_order":0,"post_type":"people","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},"client_id":"","capability_ids":[],"hero_video":"","hero_image":{"ID":11584,"id":11584,"title":"Charles Vallance col","filename":"Charles-Vallance-col-1.jpg","filesize":120793,"url":"https:\/\/www.vccp.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Charles-Vallance-col-1.jpg","link":"https:\/\/www.vccp.com\/uk\/news\/2020\/apr\/trainspotters-of-the-world-unite\/attachment\/charles-vallance-col-2","alt":"Charles Vallance headshot","author":"1","description":"","caption":"","name":"charles-vallance-col-2","status":"inherit","uploaded_to":11583,"date":"2020-08-18 16:02:33","modified":"2021-05-18 11:20:34","menu_order":0,"mime_type":"image\/jpeg","type":"image","subtype":"jpeg","icon":"https:\/\/www.vccp.com\/uk\/wp-includes\/images\/media\/default.png","width":1920,"height":720,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.vccp.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Charles-Vallance-col-1-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/www.vccp.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Charles-Vallance-col-1-300x113.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":113,"medium_large":"https:\/\/www.vccp.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Charles-Vallance-col-1-768x288.jpg","medium_large-width":640,"medium_large-height":240,"large":"https:\/\/www.vccp.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Charles-Vallance-col-1-1024x384.jpg","large-width":640,"large-height":240,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/www.vccp.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Charles-Vallance-col-1-1536x576.jpg","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":576,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/www.vccp.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Charles-Vallance-col-1.jpg","2048x2048-width":1920,"2048x2048-height":720,"Header":"https:\/\/www.vccp.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Charles-Vallance-col-1-1920x720.jpg","Header-width":1920,"Header-height":720,"Wide":"https:\/\/www.vccp.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Charles-Vallance-col-1.jpg","Wide-width":1920,"Wide-height":720,"Square":"https:\/\/www.vccp.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Charles-Vallance-col-1-1152x720.jpg","Square-width":768,"Square-height":480,"Tall":"https:\/\/www.vccp.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Charles-Vallance-col-1-768x720.jpg","Tall-width":307,"Tall-height":288,"Mobile":"https:\/\/www.vccp.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Charles-Vallance-col-1-768x720.jpg","Mobile-width":768,"Mobile-height":720,"Facebook":"https:\/\/www.vccp.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Charles-Vallance-col-1-1200x630.jpg","Facebook-width":1200,"Facebook-height":630,"Grid-Item-Square":"https:\/\/www.vccp.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Charles-Vallance-col-1-768x720.jpg","Grid-Item-Square-width":768,"Grid-Item-Square-height":720,"Grid-Item-Wide":"https:\/\/www.vccp.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Charles-Vallance-col-1-768x384.jpg","Grid-Item-Wide-width":768,"Grid-Item-Wide-height":384,"Grid-Item-Tall":"https:\/\/www.vccp.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Charles-Vallance-col-1-384x720.jpg","Grid-Item-Tall-width":307,"Grid-Item-Tall-height":576}},"relateditems":[{"relateditem":{"ID":10668,"post_author":"7","post_date":"2020-04-08 16:59:22","post_date_gmt":"2020-04-08 15:59:22","post_content":"<!-- wp:lazyblock\/two-column-text-quote-image {\"text-right\":\"\\u003cp class=\\u0022p1\\u0022\\u003eThe charity has teamed up with iconic British graphic artist, printmaker and designer Anthony Burrill and 10 other artists across the UK to create individual artworks to help share the message.\\u003c\\\/p\\u003e\\n\\u003cp class=\\u0022p1\\u0022\\u003eTo drive donations, 100 limited edition prints will be\\u00a0up\\u00a0for sale. The ten other artists who have lent their skills\\u00a0are\\u00a0Rob Lowe (Supermundane), Rose Blake, Rob Flowers, Yukai Du, Timothy Hunt, Ruby Taylor, Nina Cosford,\\u00a0Bett Norris,\\u00a0Cajsa Holgersson, and Oli Frape.\\u003c\\\/p\\u003e\\n\\u003cp class=\\u0022p1\\u0022\\u003eBlack and white versions will be available through the British Red Cross online shop for children (and adults) to download, colour in, and share on social media or in their windows.\\u003c\\\/p\\u003e\\n\\u003cp class=\\u0022p1\\u0022\\u003eZo\\u00eb Abrams, Executive Director at the British Red Cross said: \\u201cWe are delighted to be working with artists across the UK to help spread the powerful message that\\u00a0although this virus may mean we are apart, kindness will keep us together.\\u003c\\\/p\\u003e\\n\\u003cp class=\\u0022p1\\u0022\\u003e\\u201cThe British Red Cross has supported people in crisis for over 150 years. Throughout two world wars we connected people who wanted to do their bit to help with those who were in need.\\u003c\\\/p\\u003e\\n\\u003cp class=\\u0022p1\\u0022\\u003e\\u201cToday as our nation faces this virus, we want these inspirational artworks to encourage people to take action and join our kindness movement.\\u00a0 Remember that though you may be anxious and uncertain, you are not powerless and you are not alone.\\u201d\\u003c\\\/p\\u003e\\n\\u003cp class=\\u0022p1\\u0022\\u003eThe artist collaboration is part of a wider campaign from British Red Cross demonstrating how small acts of kindness\\u00a0can make a difference. There has already been\\u00a0an outpouring of\\u00a0acts of kindness across the country, as people step forward to look out for others. The campaign has been rolled out\\u00a0with\\u00a0the launch of a public manifesto across press, social and \\u00a0a 30\\u201d radio spot featuring actor Jason Isaacs. The artist collaboration will launch from the\\u00a07 April\\u00a0and will be released throughout April.\\u003c\\\/p\\u003e\\n\\u003cp class=\\u0022p1\\u0022\\u003eOver 50,000 people have signed up as community reserve volunteers for the British Red Cross, with more joining the Movement every day. If people want\\u00a0to get help or give help\\u00a0they should\\u00a0visit redcross.org.uk\\u00a0\\u003c\\\/p\\u003e\\n\\u003cp class=\\u0022p1\\u0022\\u003eThe Red Cross online shop can be visited at \\u003ca href=\\u0022https:\\\/\\\/giftshop.redcross.org.uk\\\/pages\\\/kindness-will-keep-us-together\\u0022\\u003ehttps:\\\/\\\/giftshop.redcross.org.uk\\\/pages\\\/kindness-will-keep-us-together\\u003c\\\/a\\u003e\\u003c\\\/p\\u003e\\n\\u003cp class=\\u0022p1\\u0022\\u003eThis is the first campaign for British Red Cross created by VCCP, since being selected as their creative agency following a competitive pitch in January 2020.\\u003c\\\/p\\u003e\",\"quote\":\"In response to the UK\\u2019s Covid-19 lockdown, the British Red Cross have launched a new integrated campaign to reassure the public that though the virus may keep us apart, kindness will keep us together.\",\"blockId\":\"WUkn1\",\"blockUniqueClass\":\"lazyblock-two-column-text-quote-image-WUkn1\"} \/-->\n\n<!-- wp:lazyblock\/image-full-width {\"image\":\"%7B%22alt%22:%22%22,%22title%22:%22BRCR20001_British_Red_Cross_Covid19_CONTENT_16x9%22,%22caption%22:%22%22,%22id%22:11810,%22link%22:%22https:\\\/\\\/www.vccp.com\\\/work\\\/british-red-cross\\\/kindness-will-keep-us-together\\\/attachment\\\/brcr20001_british_red_cross_covid19_content_16x9-5\\\/%22,%22url%22:%22https:\\\/\\\/www.vccp.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2020\\\/04\\\/BRCR20001_British_Red_Cross_Covid19_CONTENT_16x9.jpg%22%7D\",\"blockId\":\"Z2s2sp7\",\"blockUniqueClass\":\"lazyblock-image-full-width-Z2s2sp7\"} \/-->\n\n<!-- wp:lazyblock\/quote-full-width {\"quote\":\"Kindness and creativity abound during times of crisis. These artworks will help share a positive and reassuring message throughout this isolation.\",\"quotee\":\"Shirin Majid, Deputy Executive Creative Director, VCCP Kin\",\"blockId\":\"1qfAXx\",\"blockUniqueClass\":\"lazyblock-quote-full-width-1qfAXx\"} \/-->","post_title":"Kindness Will Keep Us Together","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"kindness-will-keep-us-together","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2020-08-27 16:40:47","post_modified_gmt":"2020-08-27 15:40:47","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":10331,"guid":"https:\/\/www.vccp.com\/?post_type=work&#038;p=10668","menu_order":0,"post_type":"work","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}},{"relateditem":{"ID":11401,"post_author":"3","post_date":"2020-04-14 17:38:46","post_date_gmt":"2020-04-14 16:38:46","post_content":"<!-- wp:lazyblock\/carousel {\"items\":\"%5B%7B%22video-source%22:%22vimeo%22,%22video-id%22:%22405843633%22%7D,%7B%22video-source%22:%22vimeo%22,%22video-id%22:%22405848426%22%7D,%7B%22video-source%22:%22vimeo%22,%22video-id%22:%22405847942%22%7D,%7B%22video-source%22:%22vimeo%22,%22video-id%22:%22405843633%22%7D,%7B%22video-source%22:%22vimeo%22,%22video-id%22:%22405848426%22%7D%5D\",\"arrow-controls\":true,\"blockId\":\"Z2iubdL\",\"blockUniqueClass\":\"lazyblock-carousel-Z2iubdL\"} \/-->\n\n<!-- wp:lazyblock\/two-column-text-quote-image {\"text-right\":\"\\u003cp class=\\u0022p1\\u0022\\u003eNationwide Building Society wanted to let their members know they\u2019re here for them in these difficult times, but how to do that when so many other brands with similar public service roles, are all saying the same thing?\\u003c\/p\\u003e\\n\\u003cp class=\\u0022p1\\u0022\\u003eThey decided to look to the future, and today sees the release of the latest iteration of the Voices Nationwide campaign, in which artists from previous campaigns are asked:\\u003c\/p\\u003e\\n\\u003cp class=\\u0022p1\\u0022\\u003e'What would you like to say to yourself in six months\u2019 time?'\\u003c\/p\\u003e\\n\\u003cp class=\\u0022p1\\u0022\\u003eThe three films were all turned around in a week, and all filmed by the artists, in their own homes, during lockdown.\u00a0\\u003c\/p\\u003e\\n\\u003cp class=\\u0022p1\\u0022\\u003eDeanna Rodger, Maria Ferguson \\u0026amp; Matt Abbott and Laura Smyth talk about life under lockdown, marriage, relationships, family and childcare, all with an immediacy, intimacy and authenticity that have become the signature of the Voices Nationwide campaign.\\u003c\/p\\u003e\\n\\u003cp class=\\u0022p1\\u0022\\u003eBut most importantly, they convey hope.\u00a0\\u003c\/p\\u003e\\n\\u003cp class=\\u0022p1\\u0022\\u003eHope that when we look back, we\u2019ll have taken with us all the good things that came out of this terrible adversity.\\u003c\/p\\u003e\\n\\u003cp class=\\u0022p1\\u0022\\u003eThe three adverts are as follows:\\u003c\/p\\u003e\\n\\u003cul class=\\u0022ul1\\u0022\\u003e\\n\\u003cli class=\\u0022li3\\u0022\\u003eMatt Abbott and Maria Ferguson, both from London and who met through Nationwide, talk about what matters most to them with their wedding day planned for six months\u2019 time.\\u003c\/li\\u003e\\n\\u003cli class=\\u0022li3\\u0022\\u003eDeanna Rodger, from Bristol, talks about the things we should remember when once the pandemic eases.\\u003c\/li\\u003e\\n\\u003cli class=\\u0022li3\\u0022\\u003eLaura Smyth, from London, discusses what she learnt during the lockdown period.\\u003c\/li\\u003e\\n\\u003c\/ul\\u003e\",\"quote\":\"After the actual pandemic, the biggest worry for most people, right now, is financial security.\",\"image\":\"%7B%22alt%22:%22%22,%22title%22:%22Laura_Thumbnail_1%22,%22caption%22:%22%22,%22id%22:11402,%22link%22:%22https:\/\/www.vccp.com\/work\/nationwide\/six-months-time\/attachment\/laura_thumbnail_1\/%22,%22url%22:%22https:\/\/www.vccp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Laura_Thumbnail_1.jpg%22%7D\",\"blockId\":\"2rm773\",\"blockUniqueClass\":\"lazyblock-two-column-text-quote-image-2rm773\"} \/-->\n\n<!-- wp:lazyblock\/quote-full-width {\"quote\":\"At a time when the future is uncertain for all of us, who better to turn to than artists, whom societies have always turned to in times of crisis to give us hope, make us smile and articulate how so many of us feel?\",\"quotee\":\"Jim Thornton, Deputy ECD, VCCP\",\"blockId\":\"1LOTOO\",\"blockUniqueClass\":\"lazyblock-quote-full-width-1LOTOO\"} \/-->","post_title":"Six Months Time","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"six-months-time","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2020-08-24 10:22:02","post_modified_gmt":"2020-08-24 09:22:02","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.vccp.com\/?post_type=work&#038;p=11401","menu_order":0,"post_type":"work","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}},{"relateditem":{"ID":634,"post_author":"1","post_date":"2020-06-24 09:56:54","post_date_gmt":"2020-06-24 08:56:54","post_content":"<!-- wp:lazyblock\/page-title {\"title\":\"Our Capabilities\",\"blockId\":\"Z24KL4u\",\"blockUniqueClass\":\"lazyblock-page-title-Z24KL4u\"} \/-->\n\n<!-- wp:lazyblock\/two-column-text-quote-image {\"text-right\":\"\\u003cp\\u003eWith advertising and communications, we believe it only works if it all works.\u00a0 From the first search right through to post-purchase management of data, we make everything compelling, coherent and cohesive.\u00a0 That\u2019s how we transform a client\u2019s business.\u00a0 We\u2019re a fully integrated creative agency offering the following skills and services:\\u003c\/p\\u003e\",\"quote\":\"We are the challenger agency for challenger brands.\",\"top-padding\":true,\"blockId\":\"Z1pypLu\",\"blockUniqueClass\":\"lazyblock-two-column-text-quote-image-Z1pypLu\"} \/-->","post_title":"Our Capabilities","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"capabilities","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-12-02 12:08:43","post_modified_gmt":"2025-12-02 12:08:43","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.vccp.com\/?page_id=634","menu_order":0,"post_type":"page","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}}],"related_content_title":"YOU MAY ALSO LIKE","websites_to_publish":["3","5","6","7","8"],"visible_on_home_page":[],"meta-title":"Trainspotters of the world unite","meta-description":"One of my favourite parts of the working week is getting the overground into the office each morning. 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