Hampshire Community Rail Partnership (CRP) has celebrated after winning the ‘Outstanding Contribution to Society’ category at this year’s National Rail Awards.
The National Rail Awards, held in London on Thursday 14 September, celebrate achievements across the railway industry.
Hampshire CRP incorporates four community rail partnerships covering 50 stations – Reading to Basingstoke CRP, Three Rivers CRP, Wey Valley CRP, and Hills to Harbour CRP – and has adopted 28 stations on the South Western Railway (SWR) network.
Since its formation, the CRP has grown from two part-time rail officers to three part-time directors, around 100 volunteers, and more than 400 steering group and stakeholder members. Included among its many achievements are the 10 formerly redundant station buildings it has turned into spaces for the local community.
Swaythling Station, near Southampton, has seen its old station building turned into a free shop, providing food to those who need it, that otherwise would have been thrown away. At Shawford Station, near Winchester, the old station building has been transformed into a popular local café, Platform 1.
The CRP also delivers the ‘Travel with Confidence’ programme to help and inspire more people to travel by train, including those with non-visible disabilities such as autism, anxiety, and phobias. In May, Hampshire CRP and partner Winchester Go LD celebrated the milestone of supporting 100 adults with learning disabilities to travel by rail.
Claire Mann, SWR’s Managing Director, said: “We are so proud of our colleagues and partners who have been recognised by the railway industry at the 2023 National Rail Awards.
“We are delighted for Hampshire Community Rail Partnership, who thoroughly deserve their award following the years of dedication to the many local communities they work with, and the fantastic work they have done to give old station buildings a new lease of life and inspire more people to travel on our network.”
Nick Farthing, Chair of Hampshire CRP, said: “We are delighted to have been recognised along with South Western Railway for all that we do and we look forward to continuing our work across our network of stations.”
Keep up to date with future news, projects, and events from Hampshire CRP via their website.
