03 November 2026 •
Local rail operator c2c Railway is shining a spotlight on the remarkable fundraising efforts of Senior Service Delivery Manager Jack Sullivan and his wife Jodie, who have helped raise more than £23,000 in support of the charity Abigail’s Footsteps.
GBR Anglia brings together c2c, Greater Anglia and Network Rail Anglia under one unified leadership team as part of the wider journey towards Great British Railways.
Abigail’s Footsteps is a charity that supports bereaved families and healthcare professionals after the death of a baby.
Jack started fundraising for Abigail’s Footsteps in January 2026, following his daughter’s passing in December 2025. The original goal for his fundraising efforts, which has so far included running 12 half marathons, was £3,000 – however, Jack has managed to raise significantly more.
The target for the year has risen to £25,000 and Jack hasn’t just relied on marathons for fundraising opportunities – he has auctioned off a signed a Crystal Palace Football Club shirt, a West Ham shirt, a pair of limited-edition Nike trainers, vouchers from local businesses and so much more.
Jack Sullivan, Senior Service Delivery Manager, said:
“Once Lola was born, she was placed next to my wife’s hospital bed in a refrigerated cot, which we now know to be the Abigail’s Cooling Cot. The cooling cot is designed to maintain a baby’s temperature, which essentially allowed myself, Jodie, and our immediate family to opportunity to stay close to Lola and preserve her while we made memories. For example, we had dinner alongside Lola, spent the night sleeping next to her and read her a story before it was time to say goodbye.
“Without the cot, none of this would have been possible. We were advised by the Basildon Hospital maternity team that we were extremely lucky to have access to the cot, as they only have one and they’re not widely available in all maternity units because they’re purely funded through charities and not the government. At this point, my wife and I decided we’d like to fundraise for Abigail’s Footsteps to express our gratitude and provide a cot to a hospital in Lola’s name.”
On 13 October, to mark Baby Loss Awareness Week, Jack organised a bake sale at Leigh-on-Sea station during the morning peak, where people could donate to the cause and take away a selection of cakes – many of which were donated by c2c colleagues. The event raised over £1,000.
Abigail’s Footsteps CEO, Jane Thomas, said:
“Jack’s fundraising this year in memory of baby Lola has been phenomenal. Deciding to start such an epic running challenge so soon after a heartbreaking loss is remarkable, and we’re humbled that Jack decided to support the work we do. Jack has been incredibly inventive with his fundraising and even dressed up as the Abigial’s Footsteps mascot to run the Royal Parks Half Marathon during Baby Loss Awareness Week.
“Money raised by Jack to provide Abi Cooling Cots to hospitals will allow many more parents to spend precious time with their baby, make memories and say goodbye. Additional funds will support further work by the charity to offer counselling to mums and dads, bereavement suites, as well as support and training to healthcare professionals.”
Jack’s races have included half marathons in Victoria Park, Battersea, Colchester, Brentwood, Lea Valley, Hackney, Southend, Brixton, Clacton, Basildon and Tonbridge, with the most recent being Royal Parks in Hyde Park dressed as Abigail the Bear (the mascot of Abigail’s Footsteps). Jack isn’t stopping there; he plans to run two more half marathons before the end of 2026. For anybody wishing to donate to Jack’s incredible cause, please click here.
Jack added:
“Even with all the success from the last year, I’d give it all back in a heartbeat to have another hour with Lola. However, I know that’s not possible, so all I have to hold onto are the precious memories we have, the legacy we’ve created for Lola and the fact that with exercise and a healthy lifestyle, I am now a better man, colleague, friend, husband and father than I ever would have been had I kept up my old habits. I know Lola is with me with every step I take.”
ENDS
NOTES TO EDITORS
About GBR Anglia
GBR Anglia brings together c2c, Greater Anglia and Network Rail Anglia under one unified leadership team as part of the wider journey towards Great British Railways.
This new structure is part of wider plans to create Great British Railways (GBR), bringing track and train closer together to deliver a better, more joined-up railway for customers and communities in Anglia.
The structure is designed to support closer operational coordination across infrastructure, train services and customer delivery.
Existing ticketing and customer arrangements remain unchanged, and customers will continue to see the current company identities as the railway transitions towards GBR.
The Anglia route serves a fast-growing region, connecting commuters, leisure travellers, ports, power stations and more, as well as Stansted and Southend airports.
About c2c
- c2c is the award-winning train operator running services between Fenchurch Street and Shoeburyness, serving 26 stations in East London and South Essex.
- c2c is one of the UK’s most punctual and popular train operators and nearly 37.3 million journeys are made on its services every year.
- The operation of all c2c services transferred into public ownership on Sunday 20 July 2025 and is managed by DFTO (DfT Operator Ltd).
- For more information email mediaenquiries@c2crail.net
About DFTO
- DFTO works with train operators and Network Rail to lay the foundations for Great British Railways (GBR) – working together to deliver a better railway for everyone in Britain.
- Ahead of the establishment of GBR in 2027, DFTO is responsible for bringing privately operated passenger services into public ownership, ensuring stability, accountability and continuity for customers and taxpayers.
- The group’s current train operating companies are: c2c, Chiltern Railways, Greater Anglia, GTR, LNER, Northern, Southeastern, South Western Railway, TransPennine Express and WM Trains.
- DFTO now runs 12,000 rail services every day and delivers over one billion customer journeys across its networks each year.
Images
Featured Image: Jack at West Ham
Second Image: Fundraising bake sale at Leigh-on-Sea station
Third Image: Jack running dressed as Abigail the Bear
Fourth Image: Jack crossing the finish line
Fifth Image: Abigail’s Footsteps