Members of Friends of Goostrey Station (FOGS) are delighted to announce another win in the Cheshire Best Kept Station Competition (BKSC). The award was presented at a special event in Northwich.
The Northern Youth Challenge Award 2018 is not just a reward for the adult volunteers. It acknowledges the contributions from Goostrey Community Primary School, Goostrey Cubs, Goostrey Beavers and local Duke of Edinburgh Award candidates. All these people from our local community are working to improve the appearance of our railway station. Hopefully it will also increase the number of passengers.
Chair of FOGS, Mike Jarvis said: ‘The primary school pupils provide exhibitions of artwork in the platform shelter which are changed regularly. We also have a collection of railway memorabilia which gives insights into the history of the Crewe to Manchester railway. It includes the keystone of the original road bridge and an old oil lamp. Carved in to the keystone are the initials MBR for Manchester Birmingham railway, the name of the engineer G W Buck and the date 1841.’
Vice chair of FOGS, Craig Sidebotham added: ‘Passengers really appreciate the displays of flowering plants on both platforms. And they are also grateful for the monthly working parties. They help to keep the platforms swept and the vegetation around the car park tidy’.
Previously FOGS has received three other awards from Cheshire BKSC : for most improved station in 2014, for Art in 2016 and for Diversity in 2017. FOGS has been shortlisted twice by the Association of Community of Rail Partnerships (ACoRP), a national organisation : for Small Art Projects in 2017 and for the Diversity Award in 2018.
Pictured:
Mike Jarvis, David Mason and Bill Macdonald receive the Northern Youth Challenge Award 2018
Duke of Edinburgh candidates Amy Goodwin and Jay O’Donoghue proudly hold the new award
FOGS volunteers celebrate their latest success