During a community wellbeing day held at Worcestershire Parkway station, Great Western Railway unveiled a Winnie Woo the Wellbeing Piano.

The piano is the second to be installed by Great Western Railway’s Wellbeing Team, following one introduced at Reading last year. It will remain a permanent fixture at the station, providing the opportunity for anyone to provide musical cheer while they wait for a train. Great Western Railway’s Community Fund has also given a grant of £3,800 to a project for a People’s Piano to be installed at Plymouth Station.

Entrance to Worcestershire Parkway on Wellbeing Day. // Credit: Great Western RailwayThe piano now takes pride of place at the station, and John Roe, the Railway Mission Chaplain for the South West of England, was first to play Winnie. A steady stream of visitors listened as John tinkled the ivories, helping to ensure Winnie Woo was the star of the show.

The company’s Worcester Wellbeing Champions Helen Rees-Powell and Sandra Smith were responsible for organising the community wellbeing day, which was held in conjunction with Norton Juxta Primary School from Worcester.

As well as Winnie the Woo, other attractions during the day were West Mercia Police, British Transport Police, Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue Service, the Cotswold Line Promotion Group, and Worcestershire Community Rail Partnership.

Helen Rees-Powell said: “It’s been a wonderful day for all the family to come along and see the station. It’s all about being a part of the community and making people feel welcome, feel good and feel happy. We had 36 stalls selling local everything from Indian street food to doughnuts, retro sweets, slushies, ice cream, and coffee.

“We had singing and dancing from Norton Juxta Primary School and, of course, the unveiling of Winnie Woo our Wellbeing Piano. Music is so good for the soul and if Winnie Woo can help to put a smile on somebody’s face then it has to be worthwhile.”

Great Western Railway Wellbeing Manager, Lucy Shephard, added: “It has been such a brilliant day and I would like to thank Helen and Sandra and all the other GWR colleagues who helped to bring everything together. We’ve had such strong support from the whole community and even the sunshine came out for us.”