The Friends of Goostrey Station are delighted that they’ve been shortlisted in 3 categories in the national Community Rail Awards 2022.

Chief executive Jools Townsend said ‘this year there were over 230 submissions and the standard of entries was high’. The winners  of all 10 categories will be announced on 5 October at an Awards Ceremony in Manchester, an event jointly sponsored by Northern and Transport for Greater Manchester.

The photo entered by FoGS was one of ten which reached the final of the competition to find the photo that best captures the essence of Community Rail.  ‘Volunteer pride’ shows FOGS members celebrating their 7th win in the Cheshire Best Kept Station Competition.

The winner of the Community Rail Award will be decided by a public vote.

Chair of FoGS, Dave Roberts said ‘We’d be grateful if members of the public would consider voting. It’s very straightforward via this link https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/CRA22 or go to the Community Rail website.’ Voting closes at 10pm on 30 August.  

The second shortlisting was for Most Enhanced Railway Spaces. Our entry described the renovation of the Victorian wooden building and its transformation into Goostrey Art Studio, a creative hub led by professional artist Debbie Goldsmith.

The mapping of wildlife at Goostrey station was the focus of our entry for the category called Influencing Positive Change and Sustainability. FoGS member Craig Sidebotham uses a Geographical Information System to record species and locations. We are proud to share our successes and challenges with others in England and in the Azores. Community Rail has used this innovation as a case study to inspire others during a webinar and in a national report.  In an extension of the main project, Isocrone maps are being created which show distances and times in order to support greener travel. Stoke on Trent council has sought advice from FoGS about this initiative.

Click here for details of this project.

The Community Rail Awards recognise the important work carried out by employees and volunteers who work across Britain’s rail network to make stations welcoming spaces for passengers. Alongside this, many of those involved carry out vital community engagement work with schools, colleges and other local groups to help educate the passengers of the future.  This is critical to ensuring that our railways are an inclusive, sustainable, healthy way to travel.

Meanwhile, members of FoGS are regularly watering the tubs of colourful flowering plants on the platforms.  Our working parties continue on the second Sunday of each month between 10am and 1pm and extra helpers are always welcome. For more information about FoGS, please look at our website or speak to our chair Dave Roberts on 07494 976779

In spring 2022, Friends of Goostrey Station were delighted to hear that Goostrey Art Studio had been awarded a grant from the Let’s Create Jubilee Fund.  Cheshire Community Foundation has provided funds from the National Lottery to encourage communities to reflect on the last 70 years and to look forward to the future.

In Goostrey, the money has been used for the Platinum Plaque Project, and the theme is ‘celebrate the jubilee year’.

In May, older residents were invited to talk to pupils at Goostrey Community Primary School about their memories of Queen Elizabeth’s coronation and her previous jubilees. Then, led by professional artists Debbie Goldsmith and Fiona Forster, the children used what they had learned to design plaques. Afterwards the clay pieces were sent to mosaic artist Tracey Cartledge. She restores architectural mosaics and creates bespoke works of art to commission for both public spaces and private property.  Currently Tracey is developing a composite of the individual plaques created by the children; she will add bursts of colour and lettering to bring it all together.  In the autumn, with the help of Northern Rail, the artwork will be installed at Goostrey station.

In July, Debbie and Fiona ran a hands-on workshop at Goostrey Art Studio. The families of those who had been involved in the project were invited to make and decorate clay coins. The adults and children pressed in stencils of positive words and created imprints of natural materials collected from the station gardens. All the coins have been sent to the Manchester Community Clay Studio for glazing and firing. When they come back to the studio, the coins will serve as a Jubilee keepsake for the 35 people who made them. Debbie Goldsmith said “It was a wonderful day and brilliant to see the studio being used by the community.  It’s a taster of what’s possible when a variety of people work together.  I’m very proud that the project has been made possible by The Arts Council England”.

Student volunteers from Holmes Chapel Sixth Form College had the opportunity to help with the project, from planning through to delivery. And they were able to use the train to travel to and from the Art Studio.  Each stage of the project has been recorded and the film will be available via the FoGS website.

The Friends of Goostrey Station are delighted that the restored wooden Victorian station building on platform one has been home to this ambitious project.

The Friends of Sandbach Station have sent some lovely pictures of their work on their Waiting Room refurbishment and new murals …..

A fantastic job done by Victoria and funded by Sandbach Town Council.