Friends group on track

Fresh from being awarded the best Best Railway Station in the North West - outstanding – at the recent RHS in Bloom awards, the volunteers say their ultimate reward is receiving positive comments from local residents on their achievements to date.

The group has been involved in maintaining the station gardens and grounds for six years.

In that time the team of volunteers have been able to maintain the existing, planted flower beds, develop other larger elements of the surrounding landscape and revive other smaller areas to create different features.

Paul Rogers, from the Friends group, said: “The meadows with surrounding cut pathways have been created to encourage wild flowers and wild-life habitats.

“Other smaller parts of the old station platforms and buildings have been developed into an alpine garden; a herb garden; an ‘orchard’ and a small patch of soft fruit amongst some beautiful Yorkshire stone slabs.

“There are a number of challenges in maintaining the station grounds – mainly the substantial size of the site and gardens – and interesting opportunities to further develop parts of the station area.

“The important and ultimate rewards for the volunteers are the many positive comments from visitors and local residents on the achievements to date.”

The herb and orchard areas were salvaged from abandoned areas of the station grounds about 18 months ago and dedicated volunteers have maintained and extended the plots.