The Leeds-Morecambe Community Rail Partnership (CRP) has continued its work with Northern’s ‘Year in Industry’ students to boost biodiversity at stations along the Bentham Line.

This is the sixth cohort of university students who take a break from their academic studies between the second and third year to sample working for a large organisation. They come from a number of academic institutions across the north of England, studying a diverse range of subjects including history, economics, engineering and other subjects.

The students have worked in placements across a wide range of management areas in Northern, including stakeholder engagement, innovation, finance and operations. The only occasion when they meet during their placement as a distinct group is on the placement with the CRP.

This year’s project sees the students work alongside the Leeds-Morecambe CRP to educate pupils at three local schools on biodiversity and the importance of caring for local habitats, whilst enhancing wildlife provision at their respective local stations.

Gargrave Primary is the first school the students have engaged with. After delivering interactive lessons on biodiversity and how the young people can begin to care for their local environment, the students assisted pupils in creating bug hotels for Gargrave Station out of old wooden pallets which contain a variety of repurposed materials including twigs, leaves, moss, bamboo canes and corrugated cardboard.

Gerald Townson, chair of the Leeds-Morecambe CRP, said: “As well as looking at ecological and educational issues, the project has helped the students understand how community rail integrates with the local communities that the Bentham Line serves.”

Brian Haworth, Leeds-Morecambe CRP officer, said: “It was good to see the students interact with the children, who demonstrated how much they care about their local environment through the project.”

David Gray, head of energy and environment at Northern, said: “We are committed to making a positive contribution to the environmental sustainability of the areas in which we operate. Bug hotels like the ones at Gargrave are small but practical interventions we can make to increase biodiversity at our stations.

“We’re grateful to the students at Gargrave Primary School for their help with this first bug hotel and we’re confident of five-star reviews from its guests.”

Find out more about Northern’s work in the community here.

Keep up to date with future news, projects and events from the Leeds-Morecambe CRP via their website.