Geoff and Sue Mitchell of the Mytholmroyd Station Partnership recently enjoyed a trip to Buckingham Palace in connection with their Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service.

They received the prestigious award in 2021 for their long-standing volunteering at the station, which has been transformed under their leadership.

The honour is the highest award given to local volunteer groups across the UK, and recognises outstanding work done in their own communities. It was created in 2002 to celebrate the Golden Anniversary of The Queen’s coronation and is the equivalent of an MBE for volunteer groups.

Geoff and Sue have embedded Mytholmroyd Station into the heart of their community, establishing links with local schools, educating pupils on the importance of the railway to the local area, instilling a sense of ownership and pride in the station, and firing the imaginations of a generation of future travellers. The group are currently renovating a previously derelict Grade II-listed building at the station to convert it into a thriving community hub.

Describing the event, which was attended by more than 8,000 people, Geoff said: “We met some nice folk, it was a good do.”

For more information on the group, go to https://mytholmroydstation.wordpress.com/