Greater Anglia hosts its Station Adoption Awards each year in order to recognise the incredible work carried out by its impressive force of 330 volunteer station adopters.

The awards saw 10 categories for the dedicated volunteer adopters who work so hard to improve their local stations in order to support their local community. The awards include:

• Best Station Award
• Best Adopter Group Award
• Environmental and Innovation Award
• Community Involvement Award

A Judge’s Special Award singled out Greg Chandler adopter of Brundall Gardens station and Sheila McGinley of Sheringham station in Norfolk. I recognised the volunteers due to their tireless work and commitment in order to keep their stations looking truly stunning for visitors since the adoption programme began 20 years ago!

The rail operator’s Station Adoption scheme offers either individuals or groups the chance to adopt their local railway station in order to benefit the local community. Some adopters also work on branch lines and with the local community rail partnership to bring about positive change, such as:

• Caring for gardens
• Creating floral displays to support wildlife
• Make stations more welcoming

Funding to support station adopter’s work for small projects is provided by Greater Anglia, such as the creation of garden stations or the purchase of materials to support the improvement of a station’s environment.

Across the years since the programme began, station adopters have brought about incredible change with activities such as:

• Wildlife-friendly initiatives
• Creative community art projects
• Local promotion of the railway
• Participation in station ‘health checks’

Alan Neville, Greater Anglia’s Customer and Community Engagement Manager said,

“This year’s awards were very special as we are celebrating 20 years of the Station Adoption initiative in East Anglia.”

“It has been great to celebrate the achievements of our station adopters over the past year and also reflect on the incredible transformation we have seen at rail stations over the last 20 years, a large part of which is thanks to Station Adoption.”

“Our station adopters are real heroes who achieve amazing things to benefit their communities and make them better places to live with their enthusiasm to bring rural stations to life and restore their links to the communities they serve.”

“The adopters know their stations and the needs of their community well and we are happy to support their aims through small grants and facilitating improvements.

“I am delighted that we can also recognise and thank them through the Adopter Awards – we’ve seen some fantastic and innovative projects this year and I would like to thank them all for their continued hard work.”