Community Rail Awards 2025 now open for Entries! Click here to read more.

Search
Close this search box.

Volunteers from Crewkerne and Okehampton stations share best practice

The Friends of Crewkerne Station recently made a fact-finding visit to Okehampton Station to share expertise and best practice with fellow community rail volunteers.

The Crewkerne group took their trip in early September and were warmly welcomed by the Okehampton volunteers. After lunch in the station café, the guests were taken on a tour of the station, including the volunteer headquarters and museum, whilst finding out more about the projects undertaken at the station.

Gail Coleshill, secretary of the Friends of Crewkerne Station, said: “Although there are many differences between the work of the volunteers on the South Western Railway and Great Western Railway networks, the role of providing something extra by committed community volunteers is essentially the same.

“Volunteers from both Crewkerne and Okehampton want to encourage more people to get out of their cars and travel by train, and we strive to do this by making our station environments as attractive and pleasing as possible.

“The reopening of Okehampton Station is an amazing story of how a heritage railway group segued into a necessary group of volunteers who keep the station buildings smart and clean, the environment attractive with flowers and provide historical information.”

Find out more about South Western Railway’s work in the community here.

Keep up to date with future news, projects and events from the Friends of Crewkerne Station via their Facebook page.