
Hello everyone. We hope you are all keeping cool and enjoying the warmer weather.
Community Rail Week: 19-25 May
Community Rail Week is now less than three weeks away! A reminder that we have developed digital toolkits to help members and partners get the most from the campaign and link in with our national messages. We are showcasing the array of events, activities and online promotions taking place across Britain on our interactive map. If you haven’t already, please do share the details of your plans with our comms team.
We are also asking members to submit video clips or voice notes sharing your favourite aspects of Community Rail Week and Railway 200, as well as what community rail means to you, to use across our social media promotions during the campaign. Videos or recordings should be between 30-90 seconds and of good quality. Please send clips or any queries to our comms team by Friday 9 May.
Community Rail Awards 2026
We’re delighted to announce that our next Community Rail Awards will be held on Thursday 19 March 2026 at Derby Arena, with East Midlands Railway as our headline sponsor. Please do save the date in your diaries, and further details will be announced in the coming months.
Upcoming webinar – provisional date for your diary
We have an online session coming up for members, aimed at both CRPs and station groups. ‘Longer-term impact through sustainable gardening and biodiversity at stations’ will be held on Wednesday 11 June, 2-4pm. More details, guest speakers and outline agendas will be available soon. Book your place here.
Profile-raising
The April edition of Rail Director magazine features an article showcasing the inspiring range of initiatives that were recognised at our 20th anniversary Community Rail Awards in March. Read the piece here, on page 90.
Send your stories to news@communityrail.org.uk and see our guidance on submitting stories.
Your next bulletin is on 14 May. Keep up-to-date in between on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok, Bluesky and X.
Best wishes,
Jeremy and Bill

- How community rail can get involved with the ‘Railway Work, Life and Death’ project
- Bookings now open for ‘Inspiration’, Railway 200’s unique exhibition train
- Industry sets out safety commitments to tackle violence against women and girls
- Active travel and healthy neighbourhoods: join Living Streets’ UK Walking Summit
- Report calls for urgent reforms to address barriers to walking, wheeling and cycling
- Apply now for customer and community improvement funding from Greater Anglia

- Young people in Edinburgh lead the way with new rail safety activity pack
- Barton Cleethorpes CRP unveils creative Railway 200 project on World Art Day
- Minera community celebrates railway heritage at ‘Timeless Tracks’ launch event
- Hereward CRP website developed into ‘one stop hub’ for local travel and tourism
- Worcestershire Parkway a-buzz with excitement over bee-friendly exhibition
- SCRP debuts community rail themed model railway made from box files
- Communities encouraged to spot wildlife at stations in Essex and South Suffolk
- Host a British Transport Films talk and screening at your station event
- Winner of ‘outstanding volunteer’ Community Rail Award profiled by BBC
- ‘Beyond the Platform’ exhibition uncovers hidden railway histories in Gloucester
- Kent CRP annual report highlights 2024-25 community rail impact and achievements
- Crewe to Manchester CRP launches new and improved website
- Volunteers secure funding to deliver series of enhancements at Barnstaple Station

Rachel Osborne, Yorkshire Coast CRP officer, said: “The Easter train was full to capacity with families travelling to the seaside and there was a happy buzz in the atmosphere as the Easter Bunny and our volunteers walked up and down the train. Events like these encourage families to try the train and we always find some people using the service for the first time. We always get such positive feedback.”



