Cast your vote to recognise work of station volunteers
WORK by volunteers at a South Wales railway station is being highlighted by Arriva Trains Wales who have nominated them in this year’s Tidy Wales Awards organised by Keep Wales Tidy.
The awards are an opportunity for passengers and members of the public to acknowledge the work they put in to improve Pontyclun station since it was adopted by volunteers in 2013.
Speaking on behalf of the volunteers, Ann Bennett said: “We’d love passengers to vote for us as it is recognition of all the hard work our volunteers have put in to maintain improve Pontyclun Station.
“The scheme is a fantastic way of bringing the community together and the work we do on the ground ensures that Pontyclun makes a good first impression to visitors.
“We are also very grateful to the community council for their involvement in the project and helping us maintain the station.”
Voting for the Tidy Wales Awards begins in the same week as National Volunteers Week (June 1 to 12), which celebrates the work done by volunteers throughout the UK.
Arriva Trains Wales works closely with more than 200 volunteers through its ‘ Adopt a Station’ scheme.
The scheme, which was set up in 2004, aims to improve links with local communities and customers living near railway stations. It encourages members of the public to provide regular feedback on the conditions of the stations to ensure they are kept in the best possible condition.
Similar to the Neighbourhood Watch scheme, ‘station adopters’ report on matters that may need addressing such as litter, graffiti, vandalism or faulty lighting by filling in a survey form for the local station manager.
Any issues brought up by the volunteers are then dealt with by Arriva’s own maintenance teams. Where opportunities allow, many volunteers also tend to station gardens, some of which have been recognised in national awards.
Geraint Morgan, community relations manager at Arriva Trains Wales, said: “Our station adopters make a significant contribution to ensure unstaffed stations always look their best.
“By going that extra mile, their support helps ensure customers receive a clean, friendly and welcoming environment when arriving at stations.
“We’d like to encourage everyone to vote for their best kept staffed or unstaffed stations as they are often key facilities in the community, where first impressions count.
“Where the opportunity exists, some of our volunteers such as those at Prestatyn have made a huge difference to the appearance of stations, while others regularly keep us informed of any issues that might need addressing.”
To date, more than 120 of Arriva Trains Wales’ 190 unstaffed stations have been taken on by community-spirited volunteers.
To recognise their contribution, the adopters receive an annual issue of rail travel vouchers.
Now, in its 25th year, the Tidy Wales Awards, run by environmental charity, Keep Wales Tidy, recognises community groups, schools and organisations who go the extra mile to improve their local environment.
Lesley Jones, chief executive of Keep Wales Tidy, said: “We are delighted to be working with Arriva Trains Wales in celebrating the important work of its Station Adoption teams.
“The Tidy Wales Awards celebrates people from all over the country, taking action to keep Wales beautiful and their community safe and tidy.
“These people take time out of their busy lives to help create welcoming and attractive station environments for everyone to enjoy and we want to celebrate these unsung green heroes.”
Following the closing date, three unstaffed and three staffed stations will be shortlisted for the awards with the overall winners being nominated by judges from Keep Wales Tidy.
Voting for the awards at www.arrivatrainswales. co.uk starts on June 4 and closes on August 31.
For more information on the Adopt a Station scheme, email customer. relations@arrivatrains wales.co.uk or call 03333 211 202.