New adopter offers boost for Cressing rail station

Published on: Friday, 28 May 2021
Last updated: Friday, 28 May 2021

Cressing station is to receive some extra TLC from a local volunteer.

Damian Mastracci has officially ‘adopted’ the station through Greater Anglia’s Station Adoption scheme and plans to help make the station more attractive and welcoming.

Damian has already made a start, with help from his mother and support workers, as well as the Essex and South Suffolk Community Rail Partnership, with the addition of two new planters on the platform that he has planted with bright flowers.

June Povey, Community Rail Officer said, "Damian has got off to a great start and his work has already been noticed and commented upon by station users who were delighted to see the new planters."

Alan Neville, Greater Anglia’s Customer and Community Engagement Manager, said, "I’m delighted to welcome Damian to the Station Adoption initiative and look forward to seeing the planting scheme develop under his care, helping to make the station more welcoming as passengers start to return to the railway."

Greater Anglia’s Station Adoption scheme enables individuals or groups to adopt their local railway station and contribute to its use and welfare for the benefit of their community.

Station adopters work with Greater Anglia to bring about improvements or care for gardens and floral displays to benefit local wildlife and make stations more welcoming.

Greater Anglia provides funding to help station adopters cover the costs of small projects, such as the creation of station gardens and or to purchase materials to help improve the station environment.

Over the years, station adopters have played an active role in keeping stations looking good through inventive gardening projects, wildlife-friendly initiatives, creative community art projects, taking part in station ‘health checks’, being the eyes and ears of their station and encouraging links between the station and local communities.