Northern have published their Community Rail Report for 2023 ….

Click here to read this comprehensive report

Crewe Heritage Trust are looking for seven new trustees to help shape the Crewe Heritage Centre into a museum for the 21st century.

This is a significant step which will see Crewe’s heritage back in the spotlight.

Established in 1987, the Crewe Heritage Centre has ambitious plans for its future.

The trustees and volunteers, supported by Crewe Town Council, are Working towards Museum Accreditation with an application due in September 2025.

They are also in the early stages of developing a major capital project, building on the successes of our jointly funded exhibition Forging History: 180 years of Crewe Works.

The Trust is particularly looking for expertise in (1) finance (2) legal (3) curatorial (4) marketing & communications (5) visitor operations (6) project management and (7) health & safety.

The monthly commitment is approximately 10 hours for up to two terms of three years each.

To find out more, visit: https://www.crewehc.co.uk/trust/vacancies  or get in touch via heritage@crewetowncouncil.gov.uk

Hugh Everett, Secretary of the Friends of Handforth Station writes ….

The Friends of Handforth Station are organising a Demonstration of Public Support at the station, at 10am Saturday 12th August 2023.

Please give us your support by joining us.

Please bring your friends, partners, children and others with you – the more, the merrier !

Note: the public consultation has been extended.

There is still time for you to feed back your comments about the proposal.

Click here to provide your comments before the end of 31st August 2023

Nominations are invited for the following 2023 Nominated Categories by Friday 8th September …..

Note, you do not have to nominate your station in our regular station award categories.
Our team of judges are out judging Cheshire’s Best Kept Stations for these awards at present.

King’s Coronation Award
How did you celebrate the coronation of King Charles III?

Did you decorate your station in any way? Were you able to involve the wider community (both young and old) or did you work with other community groups? What did you do over the King’s Coronation weekend?  Did you have any events at the station?  Did you celebrate with a party at the station or a community street party? Did you arrange a volunteering event at your station?

How did you go about publicising and funding your activities/events? Do you have photos and other publicity material that you can use to support your entry. Did you involve the local or nation media (press/radio/television etc.) How were your events/activities received locally?  How many took part?

In fact tell us about anything at all that you were involved with in the run up to the Coronation as well as during the actual weekend.

Community Engagement Award
How are you engaging with your members, the travelling public, the local community (including other local community groups of all types including local schools)?

How do you keep in touch with each other?How do you encourage others to get involved with the station? Does what you do encourage more people to take an interest in the station as well as rail travel generally? How does what you do promote mental wellbeing?

What use do you make of emails, phone calls, websites, face to face meetings and activities, zoom meetings etc? What sort of activities do you engage in? Do you get involved/work with other groups locally away from your station?How do you hope to expand your community engagement in the future?

This nomination covers anything that you have undertaken between 1st September 2022 and 31st August 2023 inclusive as well as your plans for the future as mentioned above. 

Art Projects Award
Tell us about any art project(s) that you have delivered in the last year

How was the project chosen and what consultation within the community took place? Who was involved in the delivery of the project and how was the project funded? What was the impact of the art-work and how has it improved the station?

Art projects are not simply confined to pictures but can include anything of an artistic nature as well as the written word (such as sculptures, carvings, poetry displays, posters promoting the station or community, inclusivity, booklets etc.).

This nomination includes anything that you have undertaken between 1st September 2022 and 31st August 2023.

Sustainability Award
This is a wide-ranging category that covers anything which improves or promotes any type of sustainability at the station.What are you doing to improve the sustainability of your station activities? How are you resourcing your work?  How does your work benefit all types of wildlife in and around the station?  Do you have managed wild flower areas? Possible features could include rainwater harvesting, solar power, composting, use of recycled materials, planting to encourage pollinators, choice of drought resistant and low maintenance plants, the provision of bird and bat boxes, bug hotels, research into wildlife etc. plus working with specialist and other groups that promote sustainability.

Have you undertaken projects and activities to promote walking and cycling to and from the station or in and around your station? Do you provide walks booklets/leaflets?  Do you offer any practical help to others?  Have you organised and led walks that involve the use of rail (or other forms of public transport) in part?

This nomination is for any activities undertaken between 1st September 2022 and 31st August  2023. 

Nominations in all of the above four categories should consist of up to two sides of A4 plus up to six images or other documents which should be submitted as separate files.

Nominations should be submitted no later than 17.00 on Friday 8th September 2023 by email to nominations@bestkeptstations.org.uk

Nominations can be submitted by Friends Groups, Community Rail Partnerships, Train Operating Companies, Local Authorities (including Town and Parish councils) or any other interested stakeholder.