Rail opportunity to spruce up Wellington station
A group of volunteers in a Shropshire town is appealing to residents to join them in making their railway station look its best.
The Friends of Wellington Station, launched three years ago, is looking for more members to help enhance the property and its surroundings.
“We are incredibly lucky to have such a good train service running from Wellington, with regular routes to major cities,” said Sally Themans, who chairs the group and is a leading voice in the Love Wellington campaign.
“The station is a great building and just needs a little extra attention so we are asking residents to help us keep it attractive and vibrant.
“We have a range of initiatives, such as creating a ‘secret garden’, organising regular litter picks, improving paths and access for disabled people.
“We have also planted a lavender terrace on one of the platforms and installed timber planters and a Victorian-style flower and herb cart, so it is rewarding and enjoyable volunteering work.”
Growth
Sally said that two new outdoor taps were just being installed at the station as part of a drinking bottle refill scheme which aims to help the environment, keep people healthy and save money.
It is hoped that the station will also receive a boost from a recently-announced £1 million government regeneration grant and will benefit from the ‘Stations as Places’ programme,
This national scheme aims to promote local railway stations as community ‘hubs’ rather than simply access points onto the rail network.
The vision is to develop them as an asset highly valued within the community, contributing to economic growth and acting as a hub for creativity, heritage and social amenity.
The Friends of Wellington Station will be involved in a planning workshop to inform a local prospectus.
