Delamere Railway Station has probably more branches around it than most railway stations – after all it is in the heart of Delamere Forest !!

Unfortunately Covid-19 has suspended volunteer working at our stations in Cheshire but here is a glimpse of some of the work by the Petty Pool Trust – whose College and Outdoor Centre is just down the road from the station in Sandiway.

The Mid Cheshire Community Rail Partnership would like to thank all those from Petty Pool for making Delamere Railway Station a lovely place to visit.

This project was funded by the Northern Stations Fund through the Mid Cheshire Rail Users Association.

If you have photos and a story that would brighten our lives up as we traverse Covid-19, please contact the Cheshire Best Kept Station team .

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 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/ .