Published on: Tuesday, 30 January 2024
Last updated: Tuesday, 30 January 2024
Above: The mural in the waiting room at St Margarets rail station. Credit: New River Line CRP
A community project to bring art and literature to St Margarets rail station waiting room has been shortlisted for a national award.
The New River Line Community Rail Partnership, which supports the rail line between Hertford East and Broxbourne, is on the shortlist for the ‘Community and Creative Projects and Station Arts’ category at the Community Rail Awards, organised by Community Rail Network.
The New River Line worked in partnership with Greater Anglia on the refurbishment of the waiting room at the station, proposing a book swap area in line with community aspirations to have one in the village.
A mural, using the work of a local photographer, was also installed to make the waiting room more welcoming and encourage visitors.
The waiting room was opened in March last year to an overwhelmingly positive response from the local community.
Katie Goldthorpe, New River Line Community Rail Partnership Officer, said,
“The ‘Art and Literature in the Waiting Room’ project has resulted in a beautiful waiting space that can be enjoyed by everyone. It was really well received by members of the local community and has helped to brighten people’s journeys.”
I’m thrilled that the project has been shortlisted for this award.”
Alan Neville, Greater Anglia’s Customer and Community Engagement Manager, said,
“We are really proud of our community rail partnerships and thrilled that the work that they do across the region to support communities, promote sustainable travel and help our region’s branch lines to thrive has been shortlisted at the Community Rail Awards.”
The Community Rail Awards, now in their 19th year, recognise the important work carried out by an army of dedicated individuals, often volunteers, who work across Britain’s rail network to make stations welcoming spaces for passengers and visitors alike. Alongside this, many of the groups carry out vital community engagement work with schools, colleges, and other local groups to help educate and secure passengers of the future, which is critical to ensuring railways are an inclusive, sustainable, healthy way to travel.
The winners will be announced at a ceremony in Swansea on 18 March 2024.
Above: The book swap library in the waiting room at St Margarets rail station. Credit: New River Line CRP