Station Adoption

From our adoption group at Aylesbury:

The work started at the railway station in Aylesbury in 2020. Initially, it focused on making the experience of arriving in Aylesbury by train more vibrant and welcoming arrival point for residents and visitors. The town had received considerable criticism in the past, most recently relating to the poor state of the bus station.  This demonstrates how important placemaking is, to create a more positive first impression at key entry points.

The improvements included restructuring and replanting the main island beds outside the station to create an impactful display, as well as planters and murals.

Aylesbury Garden Town coordinated the work in partnership with major stakeholders to deliver these, including Chiltern Railways, Buckinghamshire Council, charity local Community Transform and the Town Council.

The final phase was to revamp the six, twenty-meter-long platform growing beds on two platforms, through a multi-partnership community project. The beds were transformed by clearing years of weed growth. This has incorporated a work experience programme with students from Pebble Brook School, who have learning difficulties, as well as a team from Community Payback, who have all worked to clear the beds at no cost.

Aylesbury Garden Town and Chiltern Railways are working together to fund and deliver the re-design of the beds by a local garden designer Tom Gadsby, of Structured Growth Garden Design. Each platform has been planted with three different designs:

1. a Japanese inspired minimalist design with white gravel, a rock, a reflecting pool and Acer Tree
2. wildflower bed with indigenous fruit trees, cherry, apple and pear
3. conifer/evergreen design nearest to the ticket office

A station adoption group was formed in 2022, Friends of Aylesbury Station, FARS, overseen by local charity Community Transform, coordinated by Dave Furze. The volunteers tend the ongoing maintenance of the beds and planters, in line with the Government’s Community Rail Strategy, which encourages the community stewardship of station land and promotion of sustainable travel. There are flower planters outside the ticket office and entrances.

A tranquillity herb planter on the platform was the idea of the volunteers, where homeward-bound passengers who are encouraged to pick a sprig of herbs to add while cooking their evening meal.
Dave was awarded for Community Recognition in the Chiltern Railways Community Awards 2024.

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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].

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From our adoption group at Solihull:

The Friends of Solihull Station (FOSS), a community group, was set up in September 2017 with the aim of working alongside Chiltern Railways, Network Rail and Solihull Council in a bid to improve the station and surrounding areas.

A team of four came together in 2017 after the Council distributed leaflets seeing if any volunteers were interested in forming a Friends Group for the station.

In a bid to boost the profile of the group one of our first jobs was to launch a competition across borough schools and colleges for young people aged 19 years of age or under to design a Friends of Solihull Station Logo. This was very successful with lots of entries… you can see the winning entry above.

Years have now gone by and the group has expanded with now over 20+ volunteers of all different ages and cultures.

We have regular litter picks throughout the year and meet every 2 weeks on a Sunday morning. We love to meet to do some litter picking and have a chat along the way. The group have now collected over 70 bags of litter this year!

There are 6 planters on the platform with 3 on each side and 2 outside the entrance to the station. The planters were from New Lands Bishop Farm.

The Planters were Painted and planted by FOSS Volunteers and these are kept maintained throughout the year.

FOSS members built an 80ft long border at the side of the station which has been planted and is maintained throughout the year & also maintain the long benches opposite the station.

FOSS also took on a project and painted the bridge on Streetsbrook Road to help the community of Solihull.

Did you know FOSS has a bookcase in the waiting room at the station?
When you are passing by or waiting for a train why not have a look at the books in the waiting room. If you have any unwanted books please donate them to the book exchange. The book case was made by Peter who is one of the FOSS Volunteers

Did you know about the history of Solihull Station? 
FOSS has a notice board in the waiting room above the bookcase.  Why not have a look when you are next pass the station or waiting for a train. You never know you may learn something new.

You can find FOSS on our social media pages on Facebook and X (Twitter) and via email [email protected].

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