Platform Scoops National Award for Influencing Positive Change and Sustainability

Platform has won a coveted national Community Rail Award for its innovative work engaging communities – specifically schools – with their local railway lines and stations.

Platform fought off strong competition to be named winner of the Influencing Positive Change and Sustainability award at the 18^th national Community Rail Awards, organised by Community Rail Network.

This year’s Community Rail Awards recognised a diverse array of projects, with 15 winners chosen from more than 200 entries, all demonstrating how the community rail movement continues to build links, positivity and awareness between local people and their railways.

[Heather Cullimore  from Severnside Community Rail Partnership said:

“ Platform Rail Education Scheme winning the Influencing Positive Change and Sustainability category was a real highlight. It been wonderful for Severnside to collaborate with Gloucestershire, Worcestershire and TransWilts Community Rail Partnerships to develop such a high-quality education offer open to mainstream schools and specialist education provisions

Platform supports teachers to deliver the National Curriculum while empowering young people to make sustainable, healthy travel choices as they grow their independence.  At a time when many schools are struggling to meet the cost of running school trips, Platform’s completely free of charge offer of curriculum linked resources, in school workshops and rail familiarisation trips have a really important role in supporting learning inside and outside of the classroom.   We are extremely grateful to our sponsors for supporting Platform via it’s Community Investment Fund. This grant, plus ongoing practical support and encouragement has helped bring our ambitious vision to reality.  It’s incredible to think that in the first six months of Platform our small team of passionate and talented qualified teachers have delivered their programme to almost 2500 young people, and thousands more will benefit during this academic year and beyond.”

The Community Rail Awards were held at Manchester’s Central Convention Complex on 6^th October. More than 430 guests attended, including community rail volunteers, officers, rail industry leaders and government representatives.

The awards recognise the crucial, often unsung work carried out by community rail partnerships, station friends volunteers and community groups, in areas such as community and youth engagement, community-led station development, diversity and inclusion, and sustainable development.

Jools Townsend, chief executive of Community Rail Network, said: “The Community Rail Awards give deserved recognition to community rail partnerships, groups and volunteers across Britain. We were thrilled to welcome more than 430 guests, alongside ministers and rail industry leaders, emphasising the great value of community rail, helping to build stronger, fairer, greener communities, served and connected by their railways and wider sustainable transport network.

“Despite another challenging year, the array of entries defied expectations, showing how community rail continues to strive to help people get the most from their railways and stations, and impact positively on local places and people’s lives.

Our congratulations go to the Platform Team and steering group and all our winners, and thanks to everyone who supports community rail, helping the movement to go from strength to strength.”

Emilie Dawson, Platform’s Learning Development Manager, said: “We were over the moon to come top in our category at our first ever Community Rail Awards. Everyone on the team, and in our steering group, have invested so much into this education programme and I was extremely proud to be amongst such a supportive group on the night. I would also like to extend our congratulations to our friends at Gloucestershire CRP and Severnside CRP for their success in other projects on the night, and to all of the other entrants. After a fantastic first year, we are really looking forward to the future of the scheme.”