For more than 20 years the Community Rail Network has helped local groups engage with the railway to deliver better journeys and promote rail. Each year the successes and achievements of their members and partners are recognised at an awards ceremony. This year it is set to be held in Manchester and ten partnerships CrossCountry provides support to have been shortlisted.
In the South West a collaboration of community rail partnerships (CRPs) including Severnside, Gloucestershire and Worcestershire, has delivered ‘Platform’ a project providing local schools with curriculum-based assets about rail. Gloucestershire has also been shortlisted for their ‘Let’s talk Travel’ project which grew people’s confidence when using the train.
In the North East, the Bishop Line was nominated for ‘Our Line Connections’, promoting local places to visit by train, and Tyne Valley for the redevelopment of the waiting room at Haltwhistle Station. And in the North West Julie Levy from South East Lancashire CRP and Bolton Station partnership was put forward as ‘Outstanding Volunteer’.
The East Midlands was also successful for nominations, with Hereward chosen for its ‘Highlights Report’ poster promoting their work in Cambridgeshire, and the Poacher Line partnership for the restoration of Sleaford Station.
Since 2007 CrossCountry has been an active and growing partner to the Community Rail movement and now supports 28 partnerships in England and Scotland. We are also a sponsor of the Awards and will be handing over the prize for ‘Most Effective Communications Campaign’ to the successful winner at the event.
If you’d like to know more about CRPs then you can find out more on our XC Community Hub page: www.crosscountrytrains.co.uk/xc-community-hub