The Friends of Handforth Station have added to their growing collection of branded signs – known as totems – that adorn the station’s platforms.

Last month, the volunteers received a totem from Transport for Greater Manchester, as well as another from a local restaurant, their third foreign-language totem.

Donated by the Giuliano Italian Restaurant, it features the inscription ‘Guado di Anna’, being a literal translation into Italian of ‘Hanna’s Ford’, believed to be the etymon of the name Handforth. It joins the totem in Chinese script donated by Handforth Cantonese restaurant in 2014, and one in Greek script donated by Ela by Hellas Taverna in 2020, to make a ‘hat trick’ of totems sponsored by Handforth restaurants.

Lulzim Culaj from Giuliano’s said: “I am truly happy to have been able to contribute to Handforth Station, and I thank the friends’ group for all the work they do for the community. I am delighted to see our offering on the platform alongside the other two totems.”

Mike Bishop, president of the Friends of Handforth Station, said: “Many of us have dined often in Giuliano’s, which has been voted Cheshire’s Best Restaurant two years in a row, and we’re very pleased that they have added to our station’s artwork by donating this totem.

“It’s exactly 200 years since the birth of the modern railway, and we’re particularly pleased that this sudden flurry of totems has helped us to round off our commemoration of Railway 200 at the station in style.”

Keep up to date with future news, projects and events from the Friends of Handforth Station via their website.