Station Adoption

Our station adopters are the grassroots of community rail. Our over 125 dedicated volunteers transform our stations into welcoming spaces that reflect local character. Whether you’re passionate about gardening, community events, local history or simply want to make a difference in your community, station adoption offers a rewarding way to contribute to your local area. 

What station adopters do

Our station adopters bring their unique skills and enthusiasm to enhance stations. From creating stunning flower displays and maintaining gardens, to improving waiting areas and organising history exhibitions, each group makes their adopted station a more pleasant place for everyone. Many of our adopters have also created community art projects and established reading libraries and book swap/drop stations in waiting rooms.

You can also visit Community Rail Network's page on station adoption to learn more about the nationwide station adoption programme.

Please note station adoption does not involve doing the work of our paid contractors, such as essential maintenance, gritting, or similar types of work.

Our current station adoption network

We are proud to have thriving volunteer groups at stations across our network. Click on each to learn more about what they’re up to at their stations.

• Friends of Aylesbury Station
  • Details to be added.
• Friends of Bicester North Station
  • Details to be added.
• Friends of Birmingham Moor Street Station
  • Details to be added.
• Friends of Dorridge Station
  • Details to be added.
• Friends of Hatton Station
  • Details to be added.
• Friends of High Wycombe Station
  • Details to be added.
• Friends of Lapworth Station
  • From our adoption group at Lapworth:
  • At Lapworth Station, we are proud to be part of the Chiltern Railways Station Adoption initiative, bringing together passionate volunteers to enhance the station and its surroundings. As the Friends of Lapworth Station (FoLS), we focus on creating a welcoming environment for passengers and the local community. From maintaining beautiful planters to promoting biodiversity and local heritage, our efforts aim to make Lapworth Station a vibrant and enjoyable space.
  • We are always looking for enthusiastic individuals to join our team of volunteers. Whether you have a green thumb, a creative mind, or simply want to contribute to your local area, there’s a place for you here. Recently, we have been working to develop an overgrown wild area at the station to encourage biodiversity. This exciting project offers plenty of opportunities for community involvement, including planting native species, designing wildlife-friendly habitats, and hosting educational events to inspire local engagement with conservation efforts. Additionally, our book exchange—maintained with care by our local Girlguiding unit—provides a wonderful opportunity for passengers and community members to swap books, encouraging a culture of sharing and connection.
  • We are also delighted to consider volunteer opportunities for Duke of Edinburgh (DofE) participants as part of their Award programs. Volunteering with us is a fantastic way to fulfill the requirements while contributing to meaningful and impactful projects within the community.
  • Becoming a volunteer is easy! In conjunction with Chiltern Railways, we provide all the necessary support, including safety briefings, equipment, and guidance. To learn more or sign up, please contact us at [email protected].
• Friends of Leamington Spa Station
  • Details to be added.
• Friends of Solihull Station
  • Details to be added.
• Friends of Stoke Mandeville Station
  • Details to be added.

Join our network

We are actively seeking enthusiastic individuals and groups to adopt stations across our network, particularly:

• South of Leamington Spa
• Between Aylesbury and London Marylebone
• Along our route towards Oxford

Getting started

Becoming a station adopter is straightforward, and we’ll support you every step of the way. We provide safety briefings, funding for equipment and activities, and ongoing guidance to help you succeed. To benefit from our support, you are required to have a station adoption agreement in place with Chiltern Railways, which includes an ongoing plan of your activities at your station.

Whether you’re an individual, community group or local organisation, we’d love to hear from you. Get in touch on [email protected].

Key documents

Below are some key useful documents for our new, prospective and existing station adoption groups across the network. We hope that these documents can provide some additional insight into our requirements and benefits for adopters.