Despite the Coronavirus pandemic, 23 stations on the Greater Anglia network were adopted in 2020.
The ‘Adopt a Station' scheme links communities with their local railway station and allows individuals or groups to contribute to the use and welfare of the station.
Train operator Greater Anglia covers the cost of small projects, for example creating gardens at the stations.
A number of projects have made stations look better, art projects, wildlife initiatives as well as gardening.
Last year we told you about Salhouse station being turned into a wildlife haven and plans for new planters at Sheringham station, all done by station adopters.
The most recent stations to be adopted were Diss, Elsenham, Manningtree, North Fambridge and Wymondham.
Alan Neville, Greater Anglia's Customer and Community Engagement Manager, who manages the scheme, said, “Station adoption is about empowering local people to ensure their local rail station plays its part in benefiting the community.”
“Our station adoption volunteers have worked with us on some fantastic projects over the years such as opening a small museum in a redundant station building, growing fruits and herbs in tubs for the community to use and planting wildflowers to help local bee and butterfly populations.”
“They make such a positive difference their local area through the Station Adoption scheme and I think this is why we are seeing it grow in popularity.”
“It is very rewarding to work with community groups and see their plans come to fruition and I look forward to welcoming even more new adopters in 2021.”
There are now over 250 adopters at 130 railway stations, across Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex, Hertfordshire and Cambridgeshire.
If you or your community are interested in adopting a station then there are still 22 looking for adoption.
They are, Braintree Freeport, Brimsdown, Chelmsford, Cressing, Elmswell, Enfield Lock, Great Chesterford, Great Yarmouth, Harlow Mill, Harlow Town, Harwich International, Meridian Water, Newport, Ponders End, Rye House, Stansted Airport, Sawbridgeworth, Southend Victoria, Southminster, Stansted Mountfitchet, Tottenham Hale and White Notley
Anyone interested in adopting a station should contact Greater Anglia by emailing Alan.Neville@greateranglia.co.uk
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Very nice. Adopting a station does sound like a great idea.