Tag: community engagement

School children enjoying their international trip

Our intrepid Lancashire school children are thoroughly enjoying their week in Germany and the Netherlands. From an official welcome at Aachen City Hall (pictured above), to singing lessons with their new Aachen school friends, to scaling viewpoints where they could see three countries at once, they are cramming a lot in to their four-night stay.

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The trip is the children’s well-earned reward for delivering a fantastic presentation and warm welcome to Citizens’ Rail’s European partners during their meeting in Lancashire in July (read the full story so far).

The children have raised funds through various events at school to contribute towards the visit. Additional funding for the trip is being provided by Citizens’ Rail, the DCRDF Fund, UK German Connection and Abellio.

[button size=”large” color=”#ffffff” background=”#d42053″ radius=”0px” type=”flat” link=”http://aachen2014.blogspot.co.uk/” newwindow=”false” icon=”” ]See more photos and follow the children’s trip on their own fantastic blog[/button]

2014/11/20
Citizens’ Rail supports Santa Special

Citizens’ Rail is lending a helping hand to First Great Western’s charity fundraising Santa Special train from Newton Abbot station in Devon.

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On Sunday 21st December Santa is visiting the Newton Abbot to Heathfield railway, the former ‘Teign Valley’ Heathfield line. First Great Western are working with Network Rail, the Devon and Cornwall Rail Partnership (Citizens’ Rail’s lead partner) and the Dame Hannah Rogers Trust to put on this very special event.

Citizens’ Rail’s Riviera Line Officer has helped to recruit volunteers to help at the event. The Friends of Dawlish and Teignmouth Stations and rail user groups will be joining First Great Western to give away free mince pies and talk to passengers about great value days out by train.

Tickets for these exciting trips are set to sell out quickly and all proceeds will be donated to the Dame Hannah Rogers Trust.

From Wednesday 19th November, tickets will be available from the booking office at Newton Abbot on a first come, first served basis (cash only).

Find out more – click the event poster below to enlarge:

2014/11/13
Transnational school visit – the build-up continues

Excitement is mounting for next week’s epic school trip from Lancashire to Aachen and Heerlen. Children from Padiham Green CE Primary School have been making their final preparations, from creating luggage labels (above) to writing to the queen to let her know about their adventure!

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The trip is the children’s well-earned reward for delivering a fantastic presentation and warm welcome to Citizens’ Rail’s European partners during their meeting in Lancashire in July (read the full story so far).

The school will set off at 6am on Monday morning for their five-day trip. The visit days, will see the children travel by coach, ferry and rail. Colleagues from the Citizens’ Rail project in both the Netherlands and Germany have arranged educational visits in their respective countries to ensure that the children have an interesting and fulfilling time. The highlight for the children is to spend time in a German school with children of their own age group. During this time the children will work together to produce artwork named “The Distance Between” which can be displayed at railway stations both in Germany, the Netherlands and England. It is hoped that more permanent links will be forged between the two schools after this ground-breaking visit.

The children have been busy raising funds through various events at school to contribute towards the visit. Additional funding for the trip is being provided by Citizens’ Rail, the DCRDF Fund, UK German Connection and Abellio.

[button size=”large” color=”#ffffff” background=”#d42053″ radius=”0px” type=”flat” link=”http://aachen2014.blogspot.co.uk/” newwindow=”false” icon=”” ]Follow the children’s trip on their fantastic blog[/button]

Newspapers produced by the children:

Letters to the BBC and the Queen:

2014/11/12
Lancashire school children prepare to visit Aachen

School pupils who welcomed Citizens’ Rail partners to Burnley during the summer are soon to make the return trip – embarking on an adventure to the German city of Aachen.

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The story so far
In July, the Year 5 class from Padiham Green CE Primary School greeted Citizens’ Rail partners from France, Germany and the Netherlands at Burnley Manchester Road station. They performed a play about the history of the area’s railway (complete with historical top hats and moustaches – see photos), followed by presentations about what they had learned about each of the partner regions. The children also created a wide range of railway-related artwork, which adorned the station’s new community room.

The partners were hugely impressed and touched by the effort and imagination that the children had clearly invested in learning about the culture, economy, food and history of each local area. The pupils in turn were excited to meet representatives from each of the countries they had been studying – providing a chance to find out more, and to try out their language skills. Uwe Müller from Stadt Aachen said:

“The children’s work and enthusiasm was really outstanding! I was very impressed by what they had learned and presented about Aachen. I hope that one day we might be able to arrange for the children to visit our cities in person.”

The next chapter
Now Uwe’s invitation has become reality. Next month, the class of 30 pupils and 8 adults will be travelling to and staying in Aachen. They will spend one day in a German school, working alongside similar aged children, forging new links and friendships. Exploring Aachen will be high on the itinerary in order that the children can visit the many places of interest previously researched at school in Padiham. A visit to the Netherlands is also planned – travelling by train from Aachen to Heerlen. Teacher Janet Ennis said:

“This exceptional transnational project is about expanding the learning horizons of the Year 5 pupils of Padiham Green CE Primary School, many of whom will be travelling abroad for the first time. The children are very proud to represent their school and also appreciate the task of becoming ambassadors for their town, county and country!”

To prepare for the trip, the children have been taking after school German lessons (see photos below), and their adventure has captured the interest of the town.

The Lancashire Telegraph newspaper recently paid a visit to the school to find out more, and Burnley Football Club invited the children to the stadium to collect a large selection of goodies. The class are now fully equipped with pencil cases and stationery, key rings, door plaques, back packs and beanie hats for the upcoming trip, and even have enough to present to their European school friends too.

The children have been busy raising funds through various events at school to contribute towards the visit. Additional funding for the trip is being provided by Citizens’ Rail, the DCRDF Fund, UK German Connection and Abellio.

[icon size=”14px” color=”#D42053″ background=”#ffffff” radius=”0px” type=”icon-chevron-sign-right” spacing=”0px” /] Follow the children’s preparations for their trip on their fantastic blog.

2014/10/23
Citizens’ Rail projects win national awards

Three projects supported by Citizens’ Rail have been recognised at the UK’s Community Rail Awards.

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The award ceremony was held in Scarborough on Thursday 2nd October, and was organised by The Association of Community Rail Partnerships. Speakers included Baroness Kramer, Minister of State for Transport, and Paul Salveson, a leading light of the community rail sector in the UK.

Outstanding Teamwork

First prize in the Outstanding Teamwork category was awarded to partners involved in rebuilding Dawlish station after the devastating storm damage it sustained in February 2014. Pictured at the top of this article collecting the award are Citizens’ Rail Riviera Line Officer Celia Minoughan (second from left), Margaret Swift and Phil Bagshaw of the Friends of Dawlish Station (third from left and second from right), and First Great Western station manager Ian Mundy (third from right). The award was presented by Nick Donovan, Managing Director of First Transpennine Express (left) and Alex Hynes, Managing Director of Northern Rail (right).

[icon size=”14px” color=”#D42053″ background=”#ffffff” radius=”0px” type=”icon-chevron-sign-right” spacing=”0px” /] Read about Citizens’ Rail’s involvement in reviving the station.

Innovation in Community Rail

In the Innovation category, first prize went to The Riviera Line website developed as part of Citizens’ Rail to encourage more people to take the train between Torbay and Exeter. The site is believed to be community rail’s first “responsive” website – resizing to suit PCs, tablets and smartphones. Its content is tailor-made to help non-users to overcome barriers to travel.

[icon size=”14px” color=”#D42053″ background=”#ffffff” radius=”0px” type=”icon-chevron-sign-right” spacing=”0px” /] Visit the website.

Best Station Gardens and Large Floral Displays

To complete a hat trick of awards, third prize in the Best Station Gardens category was awarded to the transformation of Torquay Station garden by Robert Owen Communities and First Great Western. Working twice a week in all weathers, the station platforms have been transformed with planting on an English Riviera theme including reclamation of a large rockery. The project has not only improved the look and feel of Torquay station but has allowed the young people to gain confidence, social interaction and nationally recognised qualifications to help them into employment.

[icon size=”14px” color=”#D42053″ background=”#ffffff” radius=”0px” type=”icon-chevron-sign-right” spacing=”0px” /] Read about Citizens’ Rail’s involvement in the project.

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Congratulations to Community Rail Lancashire

Congratulations also go to Citizens’ Rail partners Community Rail Lancashire, whose “Young persons’ passport to safe travel” project won the Involving Young People category. Our colleagues in Lancashire have an excellent track record in engaging children and young people in their railway.

Children from one of the schools they work with gave an outstanding presentation to EU partners at Burnley Manchester Road’s new station building in July. And soon as part of Citizens’ Rail, the same children will be taking a train journey to Aachen, our German partner city, in a fantastic example of transnational learning and collaboration. More news on this soon.

[icon size=”14px” color=”#D42053″ background=”#ffffff” radius=”0px” type=”icon-chevron-sign-right” spacing=”0px” /] Read about the passport to safe travel scheme.

2014/10/07
Reviving local stations in Pays de la Loire

What brings a speech therapist, a parents’ association representative, a Deputy Mayor and numerous others together in their town hall? Their station of course!

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As part of Citizens’ Rail, consultation has been in full swing this summer in seven villages and towns in the Pays de la Loire who want to safeguard the heritage of their unused railway buildings by transforming them into lively, thriving community hubs.

Région Pays de la Loire and consultants Erea led workshops at the start of July in each local area. Mayors and councillors invited local stakeholders along to discuss possible uses for station buildings left vacant after the closure of ticket offices. Attendees included elected officials, business figures, local residents and many more – all taking part in productive brainstorming sessions.

Around the table, ideas swiftly took shape for possible uses of the stations: as a cycle hire facility, exhibition space, sales point for local businesses (selling organic vegetables, pastries and other farm produce), library book exchange, tourism installation, extension of a speech therapy clinic, local museum, extra space for a youth club, a medical centre, and more.

The sessions led to the emergence of ideas that would not have been generated in any other way. Each locality is now developing its own way forward to progress the project. At Voivres-lès-le-Mans, a municipal steering committee has been created, and staged a large public meeting in September with the villagers.

[icon size=”14px” color=”#D42053″ background=”#ffffff” radius=”0px” type=”icon-chevron-sign-right” spacing=”0px” /] Update – Between now and spring 2015, as the first part of their rejuvenation, Région Pays de la Loire is installing secure bicycle parking at several of the rural stations. Read more

2014/09/29
Friends of Dawlish Station thanked by Secretary of State for Transport

The Friends of Dawlish Station have been personally thanked for their efforts in rejuvenating Dawlish station by the UK’s Secretary of State for Transport, Patrick McLoughlin MP.

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The Secretary of State visited the station with First Great Western, Network Rail and local MP Anne Marie Morris to discuss the future safeguarding of the line and to meet the Friends group and see the fruits of their hard work.

Supported by the EU Citizens’ Rail project, the previously dormant group was revitalised after winter’s devastating storm damage to the line, and gave the station a green makeover in time for its high-profile re-opening in April 2014. The group is now self-sustaining and undertakes regular watering of the plants that now brighten the station. This creates a welcoming first impression for visitors to the town.

The success of the group has been followed by the creation of a new Friends Of Teignmouth Station group at the next station along the line.

[icon size=”14px” color=”#D42053″ background=”#ffffff” radius=”0px” type=”icon-chevron-sign-right” spacing=”0px” /] Read about how the outstanding teamwork to restore Dawlish station has been shortlisted for a national award.

2014/08/15
Citizens’ Rail projects shortlisted for national awards

Three projects that have benefited from Citizens’ Rail involvement have been shortlisted for UK Community Rail awards.

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The awards are run by The Association of Community Rail Partnerships, a federation of over 50 community rail partnerships and rail promotion groups in the UK. The winners will be announced at a national award ceremony in Scarborough on 2nd October 2014. The shortlisted Citizens’ Rail related projects are:

The Rebuilding of Dawlish Station
OUTSTANDING TEAMWORK CATEGORY
First Great Western, Network Rail, Dawlish Town Council, Friends of Dawlish Station, Devon & Cornwall Rail Partnership & other partners

The dramatic events at Dawlish in February 2014 with the breach of the sea wall and closure of the railway led for the first time ever to the issue of Code Black for operational disruption by Network Rail. The reopening of the railway and rebuilding of Dawlish Station just two months later on 4th April was testament to the amazing teamwork of Network Rail, First Great Western, Dawlish Town Council, the Dawlish and Teignmouth Community Interest Company, the Friends of Dawlish Station, local businesses and the Devon and Cornwall Rail Partnership.

[icon size=”14px” color=”#D42053″ background=”#ffffff” radius=”0px” type=”icon-chevron-sign-right” spacing=”0px” /] Read about Citizens’ Rail’s involvement.

TheRivieraLine.com
INNOVATION IN COMMUNITY RAIL CATEGORY
Devon & Cornwall Rail Partnership

April 2014. Dawlish is re-opening. Optimism is in the air. But how to harness the buzz and attract local people to try the train? Devon & Cornwall Rail Partnership’s answer was a radical “one-stop-shop” website for the Exeter-Paignton line. TheRivieraLine.com is believed to be community rail’s first “responsive” website – resizing to suit PCs, tablets and smartphones. Its content is tailor-made to help non-users to overcome barriers to travel. Its people-focused photography brings a fresh, modern look to the sector. First Great Western describe it as “a massive step forward”, and statistics show users love it – staying longer and exploring more.

[icon size=”14px” color=”#D42053″ background=”#ffffff” radius=”0px” type=”icon-chevron-sign-right” spacing=”0px” /] Visit the website.

Transformation of Torquay Station Garden
Robert Owen Communities Aspects & First Great Western
BEST STATION GARDEN CATEGORY

Torquay station gardens have been transformed by young people with learning difficulties from local organisations working in partnership with First Great Western. Working twice a week in all weathers, the station platforms have been transformed with planting on an English Riviera theme including reclamation of a large rockery and plans for the future to include a restored boat. The project has not only improved the look and feel of Torquay station but has allowed the young people to gain confidence, social interaction and nationally recognised qualifications to help them into employment.

[icon size=”14px” color=”#D42053″ background=”#ffffff” radius=”0px” type=”icon-chevron-sign-right” spacing=”0px” /] Read about Citizens’ Rail’s involvement.

2014/08/07
Minibeast Trail on The Riviera Line

As part of Citizens’ Rail, a new “Minibeast Trail” has been launched on The Riviera Line to encourage young families to try the train.

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Children from Gatehouse Primary School in Dawlish and Sure Start Dads’ Club Stay and Play in Teignmouth have made the “minibeasts” – including butterflies, dragonflies, bees, ladybirds and snails – from recycled plastic and put them on planters at Teignmouth, Dawlish, Newton Abbot, Torquay and Paignton stations.

A special “Minibeast Trail” leaflet has been produced and children are being encouraged to visit each station, find that station’s “Minibeast” and give them a name. Once all five have been found and named, a prize of the Ladybird “Minibeasts First Fabulous Facts” book can be claimed by sending the completed leaflet to the Devon & Cornwall Rail Partnership.

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Leaflets are available from local staffed stations and can be downloaded from therivieraline.com/minibeasts.

The “Minibeast Trail” project was inspired by Catherine Pollitt from Kenn who won the Devon & Cornwall Rail Partnership’s “Flower Power” competition to suggest how local stations could be brightened this summer. Catherine suggested the “Minibeast” theme and Dawlish artist Melissa Muldoon worked with the children’s groups to design, make and decorate the “Minibeasts” out of recycled plastic produced by Dawlish Community College.

It is part of the EU Citizens’ Rail project led by the Devon & Cornwall Rail Partnership which is working to develop the Riviera Line in a variety of ways, including by getting more people involved at the line’s stations.

“The children had a fantastic time and thoroughly enjoyed taking part,” commented Mrs Angela Jeffery, Head Teacher at Gatehouse Primary. “I am really looking forward to seeing their displayed work at each station.”

First Great Western Station Manager for South Devon, Laura Greening said “This scheme is a great way to encourage both local children and those visiting the area to use our railway safely and confidently. The artworks will brighten our station environment and this is a great way for the communities we are dedicated to supporting to become involved in their railway.”

Local partners in Citizens’ Rail – which is 50% funded by the EU’s Interreg IVB programme – include Devon County Council, Torbay Council, First Great Western, Plymouth University and the Devon & Cornwall Rail Partnership.

More information about the “Minibeast Trail” and the Citizens’ Rail project, including how to get involved, contact Riviera Line Project Officer Celia Minoughan at the Devon & Cornwall Rail Partnership on 01752 584777 or at celia@citizensrail.org or visit our Devon page.

[icon size=”14px” color=”#D42053″ background=”#ffffff” radius=”0px” type=”icon-chevron-sign-right” spacing=”0px” /] Find out more and download your leaflet at therivieraline.com/minibeasts.

2014/07/23
Burnley school children welcome European partners in style

Children from Padiham Green Primary School gave Citizens’ Rail partners a fantastic welcome to Lancashire for the project’s latest partner meeting.

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At Burnley Manchester Road‘s new station building (to be opened later this year), the pupils presented an educational play about the local railway (complete with historical hats and moustaches!), followed by presentations about each of Citizens’ Rail’s partner regions. The children also created a wide range of railway-related artwork, adorning the station’s community room.

The partners were hugely impressed and touched by the effort and imagination that the children had clearly invested in learning about the culture, economy, food and history of each local area. The children in turn were excited to meet representatives from each of the countries they had been studying – providing a chance to find out more, and to try out their language skills.

Uwe Müller from Stadt Aachen said: “The children’s work and enthusiasm was really outstanding! I was very impressed by what they had learned and presented about Aachen. I hope that one day we might be able to arrange for the children to visit our cities in person.”

Erwan Terrillon from Pays de la Loire said: “I was extremely impressed by the quality of work that the children produced, and the way they explained the history of their railway line and the geography of the different Citizens’ Rail partners. I also very much enjoyed their words in French!”

Our warm thanks go to the staff and pupils of Padiham Green Primary School who made it such a terrific occasion and to Community Rail Lancashire for facilitating the project – made possible thanks to their years of engagement and relationship-building with local schools.

Enjoy some photos from the day below…

The children present what they have learned about Aachen:

The children had great costumes to bring to life the story of their local railway:

Poster about Nantes – see a larger version:

Poster about Heerlen – see a larger version:

Poster about Burnley – see a larger version:

A chance to meet Uwe from Stadt Aachen:

Saying “bonjour” to Erwan from Pays de la Loire:

Trying to tempt Andreas from Aachener Verkehrsverbund with some local delicacies:

Carrying on the discussion in the station’s community room:

Eye-catching artwork by the pupils:

Dominic from Torbay Council and Erwan from Pays de la Loire wave off their new friends:

All in all a great day – well done Class 4!

2014/07/14