Station adoption groups in Cumbria are being encouraged to enter this year’s Cumbria in Bloom awards.

Cumbria in Bloom aims to acknowledge and thank station groups for their hard work in keeping stations clean, tidy, and welcoming environments for residents and visitors.

At the 2022 awards, three station groups were proud to receive awards from the Cumbria in Bloom team (including the Friends of Cark Station), and Community Rail Cumbria are keen to encourage more groups to take part in the 2023 scheme.

At the end of March 2023, Community Rail Cumbria hosted its first ever Cumbria in Bloom workshop, aimed at providing the station adoption groups along its three lines with a greater insight into the benefits of entering the awards, as well as walking attendees through the application process.

The workshop panel included Ronnie Auld (Cumbria in Bloom), Janet Mardon (Cumbria in Bloom judge / station adopter), Martin Keating (Northern Trains) and Ian Davis (Community Rail Network), who each provided presentations on how their organisations link into the bigger picture surrounding the Cumbria in Bloom awards.

The workshop was very well received, with attendees asking many questions and engaging in discussion. Station adopters were reminded that there are no losers in the Cumbria in Bloom awards process, and those attending reinforced the importance and value of groups coming together at stations and working towards a common goal.

Following on from the workshop, several groups have already taken the opportunity to enter the Cumbria in Bloom awards, and fingers (and trowels!) crossed, they will be recognised for the excellent work they do. Community Rail Cumbria also intend on using the project as a case study for other community rail partnerships to learn from and share with their own station adoption groups.

If your station group is interested in entering this year’s awards, visit the Cumbria in Bloom website for more information.