On Friday, 5th June, railway colleagues and volunteers from the local community got together to give a facelift to Beeston station.

The event saw colleagues from Network Rail and East Midlands Railway (EMR), and volunteers from the Friends of Beeston Station, working together at a community volunteer day, organised as part of Community Rail Week, and included painting fences and tidying up the station.

Over the past 18 months, £7.5m in major upgrades have been made at the station, including two new lifts, a walkway, and steps, which were installed last year under the Government’s Access for All programme.

The station forecourt has also been resurfaced and remodelled, with a new bicycle shelter, planters, new lighting, and extra seating.

Most recently, the waiting shelters and historical canopy have been refurbished completely. The event was planned to coincide with this week’s Community Rail Week, which celebrates the vital role of community involvement in railways.

Natasha Wilkinson, Network Rail customer account manager, commented that the improvements made by the volunteers help create an even more welcoming environment for everyone who uses Beeston station.

“We work with Network Rail and the friends groups across our network, and have seven or eight of these community action days a year. The Friends of Beeston Station do fantastic work here, so we wanted to come and give something back, during National Volunteers Week and Community Rail Week, helping to build on the major recent improvements at the station.“

Kaye Robinson, EMR Community Engagement Manager

“It is always a pleasure to take part in community days. It helps us to undertake larger projects and makes us feel part of the team in our efforts to keep the station attractive, tidy and well-maintained. The wall is a bit of an eyesore, but a coat of heritage paint and a new display of posters will complement the improvements to the rest of the station.“

Sarah Hampton, Secretary of the Friends of Beeston Station