Severn Valley in final for top tourism award

THE Severn Valley Railway has reached the final of the UK tourism industry’s national Awards for Excellence.

Visit England has selected the SVR as one of three finalists in its new Resilience and Innovation category.

The line’s managing director Helen Smith said: “This is an outstanding achievement and recognition for the amazing hard work and talents of our volunteers and paid staff.

“To survive the devastating impacts of the pandemic has taken incredible strength, brave decisions and many changes to the way we work. For example, our most recent innovation has been to paint an SVR-based locomotive purple, to commemorate the Platinum Jubilee (News, page 12).

“Resilience and innovation have truly been our watch words, and we’re so pleased that VisitEngland has acknowledged our achievements by choosing us as finalists.”

The SVR won a regional award for Resilience and Innovation from Visit Worcestershire in March this year, and as a result was nominated for the national VisitEngland Awards.

The Visit Worcestershire judges were impressed by the improvements the SVR made in its virtual experience, digital PR, collaborations, wider tourism support and business diversification, calling the railway “an inspiration to others” and also highlighted its apprenticeship scheme.

The awards ceremony will take place at the Library of Birmingham on June 8.