Community Rail Awards 2022 announces shortlist

Community Rail Network are excited to announce the shortlisted entries for this year’s Community Rail Awards, sponsored jointly by Northern and Transport for Greater Manchester.

The Community Rail Awards, now in its 18^th year, recognises the important work carried out by an army, often of volunteers, who work across Britain’s rail network to make stations welcoming spaces for passengers and visitors alike. Alongside this, many of the groups carry out vital community engagement work with schools, colleges, and other local groups to help educate and secure passengers of the future, which is critical to ensuring our railways are an inclusive, sustainable, healthy way to travel.

The winners will be announced at a high-profile Awards Ceremony in Manchester on Wednesday 5 October 2022. The event is jointly sponsored by Northern and Transport for Greater Manchester.

Today (8 August) also sees the launch of our ever-popular Photography Competition, where people can vote for their favourite photo that captures the essence of community rail. Head over to https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/CRA22 to cast your vote!

The Community Rail Awards 2022 shortlist is as follows:

Involving Children and Young People – sponsored by LNER

• 6VT Youth CRP – Tracks & Trains
• Engineered Learning, Derwent Valley Line CRP and East Midlands Railway            – Turning Around Vulnerable Young Lives Through Engineering
• Bolton Station Community Partnership – Woodbridge College – The Beautiful Ordinary, Finding Calm
• Conwy Valley & North West Wales CRP and Ysgol Uwchradd Caergybi – A station art work piece created by young people
• Kent CRP and Partners – Youth Engagement- Shaping the future
• East Lancashire CRP and Padiham Green Church of England Primary School – Amazing Women by Rail – Rachel Kay-Shuttleworth
• Bishop Line CRP – Creative Journeys
• 50 Things To Do Before You’re 5 – Morecambe Seaside Trip

Involving Diverse Groups – sponsored by East Midlands Railway

• Essex and South Suffolk CRP – Total Inclusion
• Bishop Line CRP – Our Line Connections
• Community Rail Lancashire – Refugee Railway Support Programme
• Tyne Valley CRP – It started with a train ride…
• Kent CRP – Charing station project – Achieving together
• Gloucestershire CRP – Getaway
• Hampshire CRP and Winchester Go LD – Winchester Go LD -Try the Train

Community Creative Projects and Station Arts – sponsored by Transport for Greater Manchester

• The New River Line CRP – Art@The Station
• Community Rail Cumbria – Project 175
• West Lancashire CRP, Rufford Church of England Primary School and Rufford Village Society – Rufford Station to Mere Sands Wood
• Severnside CRP – In Our Hands – British Sign Language Artwork at Patchway Station
• Haltwhistle is Something Special (HISS) – Haltwhistle is Something Special
• Poacher Line CRP, East Midlands Railway & Network Rail – Netherfield Bridge Artwork
• Feltham Arts Association, Feltham In Bloom and the Reach Hub –       Feltham Station Gallery
• North Notts and Lincs CRP, East Midlands Railway and The Rotary Club of Lincoln Colonia           – Romans to Railways
• South East Lancashire CRP – Wigan Mural Project
• Friends of Buxton Station – Platinum Jubilee art installation positively links community partners
• Friends of Reddish South Station – The 75th Anniversary of VE Day

Small Projects Award (under £500) – sponsored by Community Rail Lancashire

• Friends of Grindleford Station – Creating a new flower border at Grindleford Station
• Bedminster Wayfinding with The Grove Youth Club – Finding the Way to Bedminster Station
• South East Communities Rail Partnership, Battle Yarn Bombers and Southeastern Railway – A Royal Rail Tour
• Friends of Brockenhurst Station – Rail and Ramble
• North Staffs CRP and Friends of Alsager Station – Alsager Station Adopt-A-Shelter
• Bittern Line CRP & Sheringham Chamber of Trade & Commerce – Sheringham Rail Passenger Discount Scheme
• Kent CRP and Five Acre Wood – Sunflower Mural- Let’s Celebrate Differences

Most Effective Communications Campaign – sponsored by CrossCountry

• South East Communities Rail Partnership – Go Green by Train CO2 savings
• Community Rail Lancashire – Explore Lancashire by Rail
• Bradford City Community Foundation, EFL Trust, Northern Rail, National Citizen Service – Unwanted Sexual Behaviour Campaign
• Bishop Line CRP – Pass on a Smile
• Leeds-Morecambe CRP and the 2021/22 Year in Industry Students at Northern – Access for All to the Bentham Line
• Hereward CRP – Hereward CRP Highlights Report Poster

Best Community Engagement Project – sponsored by Go-Ahead

• Our Flimby & Flimby Primary School – Our Flimby
• Wherry Lines CRP, Lowestoft Central Project, Friends of Glossop Station – Lowestoft Wartime Evacuees Preserving, Celebrating and Cherishing the Memories
• The Community Brain – #ZiggyReturns #Celebrate72
• Heart of England CRP, Highly Sprung Performance, Coventry City Council, Avanti West Coast – Coventry Station Community Day – In Transit
• Community Rail Lancashire – Stations of Welcome
• South West Wales Connected CRP – Shared Vision Meetings to Empower Community Changemakers
• Friends of Lowdham and Burton Joyce Stations – 175 years of the Castle Line
• Essex and South Suffolk CRP – Dementia Friendly Music Train     
• South East Lancashire CRP – 60 Second Stress Relief

Tourism & Leisure Award – sponsored by Transport for Wales

• Derwent Valley Line CRP – Promoting post covid return to rail travel, walks and attractions
• Alton Town Council and South Western Railway – Alton Walking Festival
• The Settle-Carlisle Railway Development Company Ltd – Line Guide
• Friends of Glossop Station, High Peak and Hope Valley CRP, South East Manchester CRP – Explore the Glossop line by Train
• Devon and Cornwall Rail Partnership – Walks from the Railway
• Visit Felixstowe, East Suffolk Lines CRP – Felix the Seagull and Friends Yarn Bomb Trail and Competition
• High Peak and Hope Valley CRP – Influencing visitors to go off the beaten track
• Great Little Trains of Wales and the Community Rail Partnerships in Wales and the Borders – ‘Wales on Rails’ tourism project

Photo Competition: Capturing the essence of community rail in 2021/22 – sponsored by Porterbrook

• Friends of Buxton Station – Platinum Jubilee crowns all round
• Leeds-Morecambe CRP – Follow the Beard and Try the Train
• Beds & Herts CRP – Try a train rolls again
• Catherine Simmons – A Royal Tour of the 1066 Line- What will they think of next!
• Friends of Brighouse Station – Hardy Volunteers Cracking On
• Friends of IRlam Station… FIRST – A good workout!!
• Abbey Line CRP – Abbey line CRP goes to the market
• Friends of Goostrey Station – Volunteer pride
• Friends of Patricroft Station – Mayor Mullen makes his mark at Patricroft Station
• Friends of Reddish South Station – Family Fun day at Broadstone Mill to celebrate the Platinum Jubilee

Influencing Positive Change & Sustainability – sponsored by RSSB

• Incredible Edible Leeds – Edible Stations
• Friends of Buxton Station – Dementia-friendly signage for rail users
• High Peak and Hope Valley CRP – Buzzing Stations
• Platform Rail Community Education Scheme – Platform Rail Community Education Scheme
• Essex and South Suffolk CRP – The Climate Awareness Train Event
• Leeds-Morecambe CRP with support from Stantec and AllanRail – The Bentham Line Looks to the Future
• Gloucestershire Community Rail Partnership – Let’s Talk Travel
• Friends of Goostrey Station – Mapping Wildlife at Goostrey Station

Most Enhanced Railway Spaces – sponsored by Greater Anglia

• Poacher Line CRP – Sleaford Station Restoration
• Solent Cycle Project, c/o Solent Remade CIC – Havant’s community space promoting repair, reuse and active travel
• Friends of IRlam Station… FIRST – Signal Box restoration & displays
• Tyne Valley CRP – Halthwhistle Waiting Rooms Re-development
• Devon and Cornwall Rail Partnership – Restoration of Bere Alston former signalbox
• Southeast Communities Rail Partnership – Eridge station platform waiting room restoration
• Friends of Rayleigh Station – Rayleigh Station Community Garden
• Friends of Romiley Station – Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Garden and Interpretive Board
• South West Wales Connected CRP – Swansea Station Forecourt Transformation
• Friends of Goostrey Station – A creative hub at Goostrey Station

Station Friends and Adopters at the Heart of Communities – sponsored by Siemens Mobility

• Friends of Buxton Station – Part of something positively local
• Friends of Kents Bank Station & Foreshore – Kents Bank Station at the heart the community
• Friends of Hindley Station – Supporting and reaching out to a community in crisis
• Ambergate Station Adopters – Ambergate Station Adopters During the pandemic
• Friends of Brighouse Station – Keeping Calm and Carrying On The Good Work
• Sheree Whetren, Friends of Hedge End – Supporting the community

Outstanding Volunteer Contribution – sponsored by Eversholt Rail

• Neil Williams – Volunteer with Friends of Glossop Station
• John Cole – Volunteer with Friends of Gordon Hill Station
• Julia Prigg BEM – Wrabness station adopter
• Trevor Garrod – Volunteer with Wherry Lines CRP and Buckenham Station Adopter
• Mary Sautter – Volunteer with Lewes Pots and Plants
• Ian Conway and David Stubbins – Volunteers with Lakes Line and Furness Line CRPs
• Julie Levy – Volunteer with South East Lancashire CRP and Bolton Station Community Partnership
• Tony Ford – Volunteer with South Fylde Line CRP and Friends of St Anne’s Station

Download article