Community Rail Network is collaborating with the Scouts and the rail industry to deliver Platforms for Change, a programme to engage and empower Scout groups across Britain through community rail activity, station projects and rail confidence trips.

Scouts groups from Squirrels (4 year olds) to Explorers (up to 18 year olds) will get involved with local station friends groups and community rail partnerships, through activities such as painting, gardening DIY, making bug/bird boxes, fundraising, promoting the group, recruiting volunteers, rail confidence trips and travel awareness.

As well as a ‘Platforms for Change’ badge specially designed for the programme, the groups can work towards other badges including gardening, volunteering, nature, photography and writing.

The host station group or community rail partnership will provide a location for the groups’ activities, liaising with rail industry partners, and running sessions and activities jointly with Scout group leaders. How many groups visit your station and how often is up to you. Once you have signed up as an interested host, your station/s will feature on the map and you will be linked up with interested Scout groups. You can withdraw from the programme at any time.

Check out the map below to see which stations have already been matched up with Scout groups and the types of activity they’ll be engaging in.

If you are a Scout group interested in taking part, fill out this form.

If you are interested in becoming a host station group, fill out this form.

For general enquiries, please email platformsforchange@communityrail.org.uk.

Buy the Platforms for Change badge here.