Cheshire Best Kept Stations

John Hulme

Spring has come at Handforth Station

Hugh Everett, the  Secretary, Friends of Handforth Station provides further news and a pictorial flip-book ….

Hugh writes:

Last autumn at Handforth Station, we planted 100s of bulbs.

They started to appear just as lockdown was announced, which means that very few people have been able to see the wonderful displays on the concourse, let alone on the platforms.

Special kudos given to FoHS’s Roger Small, who did the bulk of the planting.

So one of our group has taken a few photographs and made a presentation of the result.

Click here to enjoy a flip-book presentation of Spring comes to Handforth Station in March 2020

The Friends of Meols Station share their News

We welcome the News from the Friends of Meols out on the Wirral with some images before lock-down ….

Jan Forster from The Friends of Hoylake and Meols in Bloom writes:

The Friends have put a gravel path behind existing beds  and created two new beds.

We have been waiting until the new lifts were finished to do this.

We have planted 20 roses in one bed and 45 ornamental grasses in another

We dread to think what the weeds will be like when we are are back station after lock-down!

InTouch Newsletter April 2020

I hope that you and your fellow group members are all well and keeping safe during these difficult times.

Activities have stopped as we all follow Government advice to keep safe and protect the NHS.

Looking after ourselves has got to be our main priority.

As we look to the future, we invite you to check out our website for the latest news of our Cheshire Stations.

We also welcome good news stories about your efforts even if they are reflecting on the past.

These should be sent to intouch@bestkeptstations.org.uk or simply reply to this email.

And remember a picture paints a thousand words!

We particularly bring your attention to:

–  Advice and guidance from Community Rail Network (formerly ACoRP) on keeping in touch and planning whilst we are in lock-down with Covid-19.

–  Our Cheshire Best Kept Stations Annual Report

It will come as no surprise to you that we are postponing our Annual General Meeting until post Covid-19 but you can read our Annual Report now.

–  The MyCheshire Children’s Arts Awards.

This is a Mid Cheshire CRP initiative aimed at Cheshire primary school children who can join a competition to paint their own railway station poster.

The winners will see their paintings adorn 15 poster cases on Mid Cheshire Line.

Take a look at some of the entries so far.

And … by special arrangement the competition is extended to “old Cheshire” so includes all Cheshire Best Kept Station entrants!

It has been a joy to recognise and celebrate the hard work, enthusiasm, creativity and community spirit in Cheshire last year.

This year is going to be a different year for Cheshire Best Kept Stations but our Best Kept Stations team are here to:

  • rekindle all the energy we can for Cheshire’s station projects
  • give help and to promote our station achievements both past and present
  • help keep in touch with Cheshire’s station projects even whilst we are in lock-down

Finally please remember that Cheshire is the only county to have its own Best Kept Station Competition.

Yes, in Cheshire we are simply the Best !!

Mark Barker
Chair
Cheshire Best Kept Stations

Do send us your news and photos to intouch@bestkeptstations.org.uk so we can keep other groups in touch of your station projects.

The Friends of Goostrey share their News

The Friends of Goostrey have kindly shared an extract from the May edition of the Goostrey Parish Magazine which was written by Chris Burgess …. 

At present, Government advice about social distancing and self isolation means that FOGS working parties cannot take place.

It’s fortunate therefore that in March there was a double celebration for FOGS members.

The Campaigns Award 2019 from the Best Kept Cheshire Competition was mounted on the bridge wall and the plaque in memory of our first chairman, Cyril Caulkin, was unveiled.

Both events had already been postponed in January and February because of stormy weather.

But now we have time to reflect on some of the successes of our volunteer group and also to plan for future activities.

Members of Goostrey British Legion visit Remembrance in 2018

After FOGS was founded in 2013, one of the first improvements to Goostrey Railway Station was the refurbishment of the passenger shelter on the Crewe platform.

This allowed Becky Cowell, deputy headteacher at Goostrey Community Primary School, to mount displays of pupils’ work.

The first exhibition was entitled Cold. One window of the building displayed words such as ICE, SNOW and FROST in huge letters. Another had descriptions of Ice Age animals which made the reader shiver.

For example :

  • The deserted icy plain
  • The giant glacier gleaming in the distance like the end of the earth
  • A huge circle of mammoths protecting their vulnerable young
  • Glittering snow like magic dust

Inside the waiting room, passengers were greeted by huge models of three penguins and a polar bear in front of a wall covered with elaborate decorations in ‘cold’ colours.

The whole display was particularly effective at night when illuminated by the station lights.

Volunteers Megan and George Dingle admire Rainbows in 2014

Subsequent displays have included Rainbows, Orang Utans, Going Places, the Owl and the Pussy Cat, Titanic, the Queen’s 90th birthday and Remembrance.

Volunteers Bill Macdonald and David Mason enjoy Orang Utans in 2015
Sammy, Roger, Abigail and Martha point out their favourites from Titanic in 2015
The Owl and the Pussy Cat 2018

Each has transformed the shelter and they have been greatly appreciated by passengers and parents.

Comments have included :

What a lovely display to cheer us up on our rainy train trip home to Buckinghamshire

Great use of this space

Goostrey Primary school has some very talented pupils

I wish our school did something like this

I regularly walk the dog via the station now to see the artwork

In addition, the exhibitions helped the school to achieve Artsmark Gold and Rainbows was part of an Art Trail during Goosfest 2014.

Deputy headteacher Becky Cowell puts up the Going Places display in 2016.

Then, in 2016, FOGS received the Art Award from the Cheshire Best Kept Station competition and in 2017 the group was shortlisted in a national competition.

Members of FOGS have two plans for the future that relate to the school’s artwork.

First, they look forward to the displays resuming when our lives return to normal.

Second, the shelter again needs repairs to the roof and to the woodwork, so, as in 2013, pressure on the rail authorities is required.

New volunteers are always welcome even though we cannot physically be at the station at present.

FOGS members are involved in planning the future use of the station building, the installation of cycle racks in the car park and the improvement of passenger safety on the bridge.

For more information, please contact Dave Roberts (Vice Chair) on sharp-shooter@talktalk.net

The Donna Louise Hospice at Handforth Station

The Friends of Handforth Station (FoHS) continue to plan for the installation of lifts to enable Access For All.

In preparation for this, they are working with many groups especially, related to the planned improvements, those who cater for the disabled, the disadvantaged, the underprivileged, and the terminally ill.

Adding to the recent exhibition on behalf of the homeless (still visible in the ticket office and in “Art In A Box”), FoHS have now teamed up with the Donna Louise Hospice for Children & Young People.

The station’s latest “Platform for Art” display is an outdoor exhibition of paintings, created by families who rely on the care services offered by the Hospice, which can now be seen on the station concourse and on the Manchester-bound platform.

The Donna Louise Hospice provides a lifeline to hundreds of families across Staffordshire and Cheshire who are facing every parent’s worst nightmare: the heart-breaking knowledge that they will almost certainly outlive their child.

The Hospice explains:
“The Donna Louise Hospice is far brighter than you may think. It is belly laughs and best friends, it is light in the darkest hour, it is glitter and sparkle, Xbox and drums – it is real understanding. Whatever our children, young people or families need, the Donna Louise Hospice is there.

“We were delighted that the Friends of Handforth Station could display our paintings and spread our message, and we hope they provide a colourful contribution to this lovingly cared-for station.”

Mike Bishop, the President of FoHS, added that:
“We appreciate that in the present ‘lockdown’ conditions, far fewer people than usual will have the chance to see this wonderful exhibition. However, we plan to leave the paintings on display for many more weeks so that, as travel restrictions ease, they will give pleasure to our regular and irregular station users alike.”

Prints of the paintings on exhibit are also available for purchase, with all proceeeds going to the Donna Louise Hospice.

You can contact them at https://www.thedonnalouise.org/ .