Manuela Mai

Chaplain for the London North Area.

Railway Mission Chaplains: Supporting Rail Staff on Life's Journey

Manuela is our new Railway Mission Chaplain for the London North Area. Prior to joining Railway Mission in October 2025, she had a varied career in the travel industry. She is married with two children and, although born in Britain, is of Italian origin.

Welcome to your new role! What was life like for you before Railway Mission?

I started working life in the travel industry as a business travel consultant, progressing to becoming a manager. I worked for large corporate companies, including a well-known airline and thoroughly enjoyed the variety of people I met. After 20 years, I left the travel industry to focus on raising my two daughters whilst continuing to work part-time for a local church as an administrator.

In 2017, I embarked on a degree in Theology and Worship at the London School of Theology, as a mature student. It was during this time that I felt the calling to chaplaincy. I really enjoy meeting people and being the listening ear we all need at times is something I do very naturally.

Throughout my career, I also regularly volunteered including with the Samaritans, the chaplaincy team in a London prison, with a homeless shelter and in a hospice. I've been extremely active in my church - preaching, teaching, leading worship, and leading groups in local outreach. I felt that chaplaincy was definitely the right career move where I would amalgamate all my career and life experiences with my degree.

Did you know about Railway Mission before you applied for the role?

I hadn't heard of Railway Mission but I'd heard about Railway Chaplains. To be honest, I didn't really know what they did but I assumed it had something to do with supporting people and that was good enough for me to give it a try. I've now been with Railway Mission since October 2025, which isn't very long at all but I've already discovered a whole new world and the wonderful railway family.

How has your career equipped you for Railway Mission?

I think you need the ability to engage with people of all levels and my customer-serviced focused roles in the travel industry gave me experience working with people; from administrators and passengers right up to the CEO. I am used to seeing and understanding the various stresses that people experience. I listen and am calm under pressure. Whilst I don’t have deadlines in quite the same way now, it is important that we assess and respond to situations in a timely manner and don’t leave people waiting when they are in need of help.

How are you getting to know your ‘patch’? 

Just like my colleagues, I’m responsible for a significant geographical area with a large number of stations. My plans are to get to them all and then start all over again! Due to the nature of the railway industry with shift work and many different patterns of employment including agency workers - almost every time I visit the same station I will meet someone new. I spend a lot of my time introducing myself, leaving my card, offering support and checking-in with people. The mental wellbeing of our railway family is our priority and it's a privilege to be available to them as a listening friend.

The most challenging part of the job is trying to understand the 'railway language' with its complex structure and hundreds of acronyms! I am getting there though – both in terms of my understanding and also with being more relaxed about the time it will take to learn.

What are some of the highlights of the role so far?

There’s no such thing as a regular day. I start with a loose plan but try and take each day as it comes, making sure I am flexible and ready to adapt. I’ve already been involved in remembrance services, both alongside my colleagues and also leading a service. I’ve attended a local coffee morning where I was humbled to be given a wonderful donation towards the work of Railway Mission. It is inspiring to see such good being done in the world and local people supporting charities that make a difference.

I also followed my colleagues in participating in a training event organised by the British Transport Police. The multi-agency day involved the ambulance and fire services and enacting being recovered from various different scenarios in the confined spaces of the underground. I found it incredibly useful to understand first-hand the work of the people we support and get a real sense of what it is like to experience the situations they encounter. I think that will really help me to support them better.

How do you look after your own wellbeing?

My faith, my family and my church are great sources of strength and peace for me. I’m also of Italian origin and love Italian culture and food. I find cooking really therapeutic and a wonderful opportunity to decompress by listening to podcasts and sermons as I cook.

What is your advice for anyone hesitating about reaching out for support?

We all need support at times. Nobody is immune to the challenges of life and how they can sometimes blindside us. The great thing about Railway Mission chaplains is the confidential and independent nature of our work. We will be there for you as a trusted friend during your toughest times. Perhaps you don’t have anyone else to talk to or you may feel you have exhausted the ears of your colleagues and family but you still need to offload. That is where we can help - as an additional and impartial friend.

We are Christian chaplains with a faith but we support people of all faiths and none. We will meet you where you are at and chat about whatever you want to chat about, always being very respectful about your beliefs. Simply talking about how you are feeling and sharing the burden can help. I recently supported two people who had both lost a parent and they found it helpful to just have someone to talk to about the loved ones they had lost. That’s what I’m here for - to help people feel heard, valued, and hopeful even when they are at their most vulnerable.