Hello everyone, we hope you are keeping well and enjoying the Spring weather.
Firstly, huge thanks to all speakers, delegates, partners, and our brilliant events team, for making last week’s Community Rail Conference for CRPs, run jointly with the Department for Transport (DfT), such a success. Revisit the event’s key moments and presentations here.
World Cup of Stations
This year, Rail Delivery Group are looking for nominations from across community rail as their “World Cup of Stations” campaign returns. New for this year, RDG are looking to crown ‘The UK’s Best Loved Station’ by shining a spotlight on the work of station friends and community rail partnerships bringing stations into the heart of local communities. You can nominate your station(s) in one of five categories – but hurry, nominations close at 10pm this Friday 7 April. For advice, get in touch with our Comms and Policy team. And here’s a message from TV personality and station enthusiast Tim Dunn to encourage you to get your nominations in.
Community Rail Development Fund
The 2023-24 round of the Community Rail Development Fund is now open. Grants of up to £25,000 are available to support activities by accredited CRPs in England and Wales. See how to apply and the criteria for this DfT grant scheme here.
Project management and outcomes online course
This one-day online course will provide an overview of project management tools and techniques and how to put them into practice. You will be able to share experiences and learn from each other. It takes place Monday 24 April, 9.45am-3.15pm, aimed at CRP officers, but other members are welcome. Book your place.
Tackling loneliness webinar
Join our webinar to learn how our “Tackling loneliness with transport” project has engaged young people, boosting confidence, mobility and wellbeing to reduce the risk of loneliness. The project, funded by DfT, involved evidence-based pilots in different locations, led by CRPs and youth organisation Catch-22, all advised by University of West England, ensuring lessons and learnings are drawn out. The webinar is on Thursday 8 June, 10am-12.40pm. See the agenda and book now.
Coronation
Do you have activities or events planned to mark the coronation of King Charles III on 6 May 2023? Get in touch with our Comms and Policy team who will be able to highlight your group’s plans on social media and in our bulletin.
If you have any news stories, please email our communications team on news@communityrail.org.uk. See here for guidance on submitting stories.
Your next bulletin is on 19 April. Keep up-to-date in between on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.
Best wishes,
Jeremy and Jools
- Rail industry unites for campaign encouraging people to get back on board
- Northern gives NHS workers, carers, teachers and charity staff 25% off travel
- ‘Pirate Trail’ launched to encourage families to visit Looe by train
- Student station adopters celebrate Flimby through the years
- Discover what’s along the Penistone Line with station-to-station walking guides
- Visitors invited to Handforth Station to explore the Platform for Art and take part in Easter Quiz
- Battlesbridge Station becomes part of Urban Wildlife Champions initiative
- Southeast Communities Rail Partnership highlights greener journeys for King’s Coronation
- New appointment gives boost to East Suffolk Lines CRP
- Unused space at Reigate Station reimagined as photo gallery
- Official opening of community wildlife garden at Wrabness Station
- Yorkshire Coast and Barton Cleethorpes CRPs seeking new Officers
