Sara Flower

"I have always been a strong campaigner. At school I loved languages. With the ambition of living and working abroad, I decided to study German and French at A-level. After choosing my subjects, however, I was told that German would not be running because not enough people had signed up to it. Devastated by this news, I led a campaign to ‘get German back’. I got hundreds of students to sign my petition and arranged a meeting with my headteacher. Evidently, my passion and enthusiasm were enough to persuade him, because soon after, German was put firmly back on the agenda!At Network Rail, my enthusiasm has been put to good use. I feel passionately about the work I do, making the railway more environmentally friendly. I even had the opportunity to attend COP26, the UN climate conference held in Glasgow. It was truly inspiring to meet with climate activists from around the world. And, I am now more determined than ever to make a difference through the work I do. "

"I work on various projects within the Environment and Sustainable Development department. Some examples include, reducing the use of single use plastic at stations and Network Rail offices; mapping biodiversity along the railway lines; and integrating renewable energy into the railway network. "

"I did A-Levels in Geography, Biology, French and German, but Geography was by far my favourite! I have always loved how wide-ranging it is, covering topics as different as volcanic eruptions, and world hunger. Studying Geography at university, has taught me how various processes link together to create the messy world that we live in. Climate change, for example, is as much a social problem as it is a physical one, which is what makes it such a difficult challenge! On the topic of climate change, I have been massively inspired by the work of climate activists and organisations, including Greta Thunberg and Extinction Rebellion. They have made me eager to use my work to make a real-world difference, and have led me to where I am now."

"I love all things sporty, especially running, cycling and rock climbing! Recently, I have started taking visually impaired people on tandem cycle rides. As a sighted rider I sit at the front of the bike, whilst the visually impaired rider sits on the back. I really enjoy being able to share my passion for cycling with others, empowering them to get out of the house and be active! "

"My work is so varied! Day to day I work in the office, attending meetings, writing reports, and so on. But I also have loads of opportunities to get out and about. In my short time at Network Rail, I have travelled to places up and down the country, including Edinburgh, Glasgow, Manchester, and London. In Manchester, I visited a signal box (where people control the ‘traffic lights’ for trains) and was even given the chance to change a train signal!I am also a STEM ambassador, working with young people to support their understanding of science, technology, engineering and maths. This is great fun and involves going into schools, giving talks, and even playing with robots!"

"A-Levels - Geography, Biology, French and GermanMidway through Geography degree at the University of Manchester. "