Volunteers across Scotland have been celebrated in the annual ScotRail in the Community Awards, held last week.
The ceremony took place at the Grand Central Hotel, Glasgow, on Thursday, 26 October, with awards presented to hard-working volunteers across Scotland’s Railway, recognising their contribution to the wider local community and railway.
Categories included Adopted Station of the Year, Community Rail Partnership Member of the Year, Adopter(s) of the Year, and Community Project of the Year. A special Outstanding Contribution to Community Rail award was also presented.
The winners were:
- Adopted Station of the Year: Dumfries station.
- Dumfries Adoptive Railway Gardeners have received praise from all across their local community for their exceptional work at Dumfries station, making it a welcoming environment for everyone who uses the station.
- Community Rail Partnership Member of the Year: Suzie McCheyne.
- Suzie collected the prize for her commitment to her local community, and the Community Rail Partnership. She is one of the founding members of the Rail 74 CRP, which covers six stations between Rutherglen and Hamilton Central, and devotes many volunteer hours on developing and delivering projects.
- Adopter(s) of the Year: The Rotary Club of Whitburn (Fauldhouse station).
- The Rotary Club of Whitburn carried out a total revamp of both platforms following the pandemic, which included removing weeds and installing new planters. The new planters were filled with a wide range of plants which provide all-year-round colour and attractive changing displays.
- Community Project of the Year: Prestonpans Mural.
- Fittingly for Scotland’s mural town, East Lothian Community Rail Partnership undertook the project to improve the appearance of the station by replacing the existing, badly-weathered, artwork with a new mural. The subjects for the mural were selected for their local significance, and the project was delivered using local talent and businesses, strengthening links within the community.
- Outstanding Contribution to Community Rail: Jane Connolly.
- As a volunteer at Cardross Station Community Organic Garden, Jane was nominated for her can-do attitude, knowledge, expertise, and commitment to the group. encouraging them to take on more and more ambitious projects. Her boundless energy and encouragement helps less experienced volunteers to participate and grow their own gardening knowledge and skills. During the past 14 months, the station has been rejuvenated, receiving praise from across the local community.
More than 1,000 people across the country volunteer on Scotland’s Railway, contributing to their local communities in a variety of different activities and projects – from community classes to station adopters.
More than 200 ScotRail stations across the country are part of the Adopt a Station programme, with projects across Scotland ranging from garden displays to charity bookshops, art galleries and model railway clubs.
James Ledgerwood, ScotRail Head of Economic & Community Development, said:
“The ScotRail in the Community Awards is an important date in our calendar. It’s an opportunity for us to showcase the fantastic work of our volunteers.
“I’d like to congratulate our winners, those highly commended, and all the nominees, but also to thank all our volunteers for their hard work and contribution. Their efforts benefit more than Scotland’s Railway - it extends to the wider local community as well.
“Supporting our local communities and their projects is incredibly important, and these awards allow us to celebrate our volunteers and the work they do to support ScotRail in delivering services that go way beyond the railway.”
Notes
Other awards presented included:
- Adopted Station of the Year
- Silver station of the Year: Cardross adopted by Cardross Community Organic Garden.
- Bronze station of the Year: Fauldhouse adopted by the Rotary Club of Whitburn.
- Adopter(s) of the Year
- Highly Commended: Dumfries Adoptive Railway Gardeners.
- Outstanding Contribution to Community Rail
- Specially Commended: Ann Roberts.