Despite the continuing challenges of COVID-19, community groups on South Western Railway’s network are continuing their work to revitalise stations and support local communities.
The initial lockdown made it impossible for these groups to continue their work, but, as restrictions have slowly eased, work has been able to resume.
At Swaythling station in Hampshire, the Three Rivers Community Rail Partnership (CRP), has transformed two redundant spaces and turned them into areas fit for community use. The work included stripping out joists, laying new floor tiles, adding electric sockets, wall heaters and a sink, as well as uncovering the vintage fireplace.
East Hampshire CRP has re-opened their Free Shop programme at Petersfield station, which allows the local community to collect surplus food from local supermarkets that may have otherwise gone to waste.
Both these groups lease their spaces from South Western Railway on ‘peppercorn rent’, allowing the groups to focus their funding on improving the stations, and expand their work to other station buildings.
Mark Miller, officer for Three Rivers and East Hants CRPs, said:
“We are grateful to SWR for allowing us to take on these spaces without having the pressure of a rent to account for. The station staff and manager have been brilliant throughout.”
Additionally the Lymington to Brockenhurst and Isle of Wight CRPs, have worked with SWR to transfer funding from their “Music on the Move” initiative, to the new “Food on the Move” project, which delivered food to the most vulnerable people in their local area during the difficult period of lockdown.
