Improvements to Albrighton and Wellington railway stations from community group grants

The 'Your Community, Your Fund' grant was given to 21 stations across the West Midlands Railway line, and will be used by project leaders to tackle social needs.

Each project is taking place across the rail network, at railway stations, or near lines of route, with the aim to bring local communities together and strengthen community spirit.

Albrighton and Wellington stations on the Shrewsbury to Birmingham line have been awarded grant funding.

Two projects are being undertaken at Wellington station, including one by the Friends of Wellington station to improve the access to the station via the steps from the bus station.

The group also plans to install refillable water points at the platforms to link in with the Refill initiative, which is already being promoted by the town council in its attempt to reduce single-use plastic.

The vision is to use the area of land located alongside an unused platform to create a ‘Secret Garden’, a haven for wildlife and biodiversity as well as being a quiet space for passengers and town centre users to enjoy.

Community walks

Meanwhile the Wellington Local Agenda 21 Group, which is an independent, not-for-profit community organisation that encourages local people to get involved in environmental issues that impact all our lives, is also involved.

Its grant will finance the creation and publication of community walks from Wellington Station and raise awareness of the station as a place where writer and poet Philip Larkin first alighted on arrival in the town for a job interview which he said determined the course of his life. The project will see a free 20-page walking trail booklet created in print and online, which will trace the town's literary connections for passengers and local people to enjoy.

In Albrighton, the Friends of Albrighton Station have started a project to encourage walking in beauty spots located along the Shrewsbury to Wolverhampton line.

This project will see a group set up in and around Albrighton station in Shropshire – including catchment of the outlying villages – called ‘Rail and Ramble’.

The purpose of the group will be to deliver regular events across the Shrewsbury to Wolverhampton railway line encouraging the local community to join the group and experience their 'Rail and Ramble' excursions. The Albrighton Parish Council minibus will also be available to offer people connections to the train service.

For more information on the projects, westmidlandsrailway.co.uk/about-us/your-community-your-fund/21-stories