Stagecoach’s Junior honoured with medal
Stagecoach Manchester bus driver, Cornel Grant, has been awarded a British Empire Medal (BEM) in the Queen’s New Year Honours list.
Cornel, known to his friends and colleagues as Junior, has been with Stagecoach for almost 40 years and works as a driver at Sharston Depot in Manchester. His accolade is in recognition of his work within the community.
After serving in the Royal Fusiliers for six years and completing three tours in Northern Ireland, he began work at Princess Road Depot in Moss Side in 1982 as a bus driver.
In the 1970s and 1980s he was actively involved in the setting up of the Moss Side Carnival. He went on to be heavily involved in the Anglo/Caribbean Dominoes Championships bringing people from across the country together with communities from his homeland and introducing other members of staff at Princess Road Depot to team-building competitions. He also assists the Message Trust, a Christian charity working to improve the lives of young people.
Over the years, Junior has supported a number of charitable collections. In 2013 he was involved in the donation of a decommissioned bus to the Moss Gardens Project, situated in Moss Side, to be used as a meeting space for the local community on the former site of the Stagecoach Princess Road Depot.
“He is a true legend and all of his colleagues will be delighted at Junior receiving this well-deserved recognition” – Lee Wasnidge, Managing Director of Stagecoach Manchester
In 2012 he was selected to help support the UK Olympic Torch Relay and torch bearers. This high-profile role involved assisting with planning the routes and settling the torch bearers into their roles on a very tight operational schedule with high security.
In 2017 his work was recognised nationally by Stagecoach when he received the Silver Community Champion award at the annual Stagecoach Champions Awards.
Junior is always willing to help out with activities and fundraising on behalf of Stagecoach Manchester’s charity partners, from driving buses to dressing up. He assists with Remembrance services at the War Memorial at Sharston Depot and also supports special events, such as helping to co-ordinate services for Manchester’s Parklife Festival operation.