Community Rail Partnerships recognised with national awards shortlisting

A number of community rail partnerships (CRPs) and station adopters which have been given funding and support by South Western Railway (SWR) have been shortlisted as part of the coveted Community Rail Awards.

The awards celebrate the important, and often unsung work, carried out by community rail volunteers, partnerships, station friends, and community groups, in bringing local people together, running community engagement and rail accessibility initiatives, as well as helping communities get the most from their local railway lines and stations.

SWR provides funding and support to 11 CRPs (an increase from eight in 2019), and now has 55 registered station adopters (an 800 percent increase in less than two years).

In the Involving Diverse Groups category, SWR’s Community Ambassadors receive a nod for journeys they ran with three CRPs (Devon and Cornwall, East Hants and Surrey Hills to South Downs) for young people with learning disabilities, two primary schools and a group from Dementia Friendly Petersfield.

Two out of the three shortlisted community art schemes in the Permanent and Larger Project category come from the network, with recognition for SWR and The Lightbox’s efforts to brighten up Woking footbridge and East Hants CRP’s impressive vinyls at Liss station. In the Smaller and Renewable Project award, Art @ the station, a joint collaboration between SWR and The Art Society, Guildford is recognised.

Works at stations large and small are also highlighted, including the impressive work undertaken by the Surrey Hills to South Downs CRP adding flower displays, a defibrillator, and a recently refurbished volunteer run Information Hub to Haslemere station is shortlisted for the Most Enhanced Station award.

Four projects from three station adopters are picked out in the Small Project (£500 or less) section, including the SWR funded lifeboat planter at Lake station (below), community activities undertaken by the Friends of Brockenhurst Station, and the Making Connections project completed by the Friends of Wool Station.