Southeastern Railway’s Post

Our colleagues from Southeastern, Network Rail Southern Region and GTR (Govia Thameslink Railway) gathered at the Maha Lakshmi Vidhya Bhavan temple in Honor Oak Park to celebrate Diwali – the Festival of Lights. It was so wonderful to see so many people come together, chatting with one another and embracing the spirit of light, joy and togetherness that Diwali represents. Organized by Rabin Kandel, Chair of CultuRail, the celebration included the traditional lighting of Diyas, led by Sathi Singh (Head of PMO and Co-Chair of CultuRail), alongside Izzy White (Organisational Development Partner) and Ruth Busby OBE (GTR People Director). We heard some lovely reflections from Rabin, Sathi, Izzy, Ruth, Kim Hollands (Chair of the Armed Forces Network), and Rheana R. (Data-Driven Graduate) – all sharing messages about renewal, community, and the importance of recognising the rich diversity across our railway and the traditions that make Diwali so special. The afternoon continued with an absolutely delicious vegetarian Diwali lunch accompanied with traditional sweets and songs. A huge thank you to everyone who joined, supported and helped organise this special event – and to the team at Maha Lakshmi Vidhya Bhavan temple for their warm welcome and hospitality. Together, we captured the true spirit of Diwali: light overcoming darkness, and unity through shared celebration. ✨ #Diwali #Inclusion #Diversity #RailwayFamily #CultuRail