© Chris Ellams & NCRUG 2010

In June 1997 NCRUG concluded an agreement with FNW to take on the responsibility for the maintenance of the gardens at Helsby, and the group is now affiliated to the British Trust for Conservation Volunteers (BTCV) inter alia for insurance purposes.  This agreement and insurance is also valid for work on other stations, and in January 2001 the group started regular work at Frodsham, and then in 2002 also at Runcorn East. Subsequently insurance was provided by ATW as part of their Station Adopters scheme.

 

The OBJECTIVES of these projects are:

 

   * 1 To bring about a greater awareness in the local communities of the train services available, and to get people back on to the trains.

 

    * 2 We wished to demonstrate to the railway industry that we were seriously committed to the railway; we weren't just a "whingeing" group - a criticism levelled at some rail user groups.

 

    * 3 The station gardens at Helsby were once the pride of the line, and it is our intention to make them so once again. With the work done by Network Rail and ATW we intend to make the local railway station a pleasant place to be, where waiting for the train will be enjoyable. This is also the aim at Frodsham. The gardens there are small, and the main problem has been vandalism and graffiti. Nevertheless it is our aim to have this station as also a place which the local community can be proud of and their railway station, and the intending passenger will feel comfortable. While there are no flower beds at Runcorn East, there is a lot of landscaping - shrubs, etc - which is now improved, and we continue to implement initiatives here.

 

   * 4 Regular working parties are held at each of these three stations. If you would like to be involved, please contact us via the iiformation given in the Contact Us page.