Awards & Nominations
We work with our local communities to deliver positive impacts and outcomes from our activities. We are delighted that many of our projects have received national recognition.
2025
At this year’s Community Rail Awards, we were honoured to be recognised for an “Oustanding Contribution to Community Rail”.
Community Rail Network said,
“Since it was formed in 2003, Kent CRP has grown from an initial five stations to a remarkable 31 across three lines – Swale Rail, Medway Valley and Kent Downs.
The partnership has delivered a vast range of projects over the past 22 years, from social inclusion and youth engagement to integrated travel and the redevelopment of station buildings. These include:
- Collaborating with Guide Dogs Maidstone for ‘Paws on the Platform’, an initiative that brought people with visual impairments together to share their experiences of accessing rail services and to discuss the ways in which challenges can be overcome;
- Empowering students with additional needs from Five Acre Wood Special School to adopt Snodland Station, improving the station environment through biodiversity and gardening projects, as well as vibrant artwork;
- Transforming Hollingbourne Station into a thriving community hub, winning third place in ‘Most Enhanced Railway Spaces’ at last year’s awards;
- Improving signposting for onward public transport from Medway stations and access for cyclists at stations on the Kent Downs Line;
- Partnered with Favesham Festival of Transport, Maidstone CycleFest and other local organisations to engage with the public about rail safety, days out by rail and volunteering opportunities;
- Supporting the growing network of station adopters along the three lines, including at Queenborough and West Malling;
We are delighted to present this award for outstanding contribution to community rail to Kent CRP – a partnership that continues to thrive year after year, meeting the needs of the wider community, and delivering incredible benefits on behalf of the community rail movement.”
This award recognises the dedication and commitment of all our officers, members, partners and volunteers.
Thank you all for helping community rail to flourish along our three Southeastern lines.
We were also delighted that our Paws on the Platform event was shortlisted at the 2025 Community Rail Awards.
Paws on the Platform highlighted the practical barriers that people with visual impairments must overcome when travelling by train. The event brought people with a visual impairment together with Southeastern’s management team to share their experience of accessing rail services, to increase understanding of the difficulties that those with a visual impairment encounter when travelling by train and began a discussion about how that experience can be improved.
2024
Hollingbourne Station achieved third place in the category “Most Enhanced Railway Spaces” for the Community Rail Awards 2024.
The video below from the Hollingbourne Station Community Interest Company documents the beginning of an ongoing story of transformation. The nomination acknowledges the hard work of the local community in re-imagining the derelict booking office as a community hub. The venue hosts a range of volunteer led community events including fund-raising film nights and is home to the Signal Box Cafe, open Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays 7:00am – 4:00pm.
In October Rail Delivery Group teamed up with Community Rail Network to host the World Cup of Stations. This annual tournament established in 2019, celebrates the UK’s best stations by having them battle it out head-to-head in an online public vote.
Hollingbourne station was one of just 48 stations chosen from around the country, competing in the south east heats of this celebration of the incredible local businesses on the doorstep of wonderful stations that connect communities.
2023
Hollingbourne Station has received a “Highly Commended” accolade at the 2023 National Railway Heritage Awards.
On-line submissions detailed how the project has taken the station building from being a derelict shell to a thriving community hub, and judges came to the station to see the transformation that has taken place before deciding to shortlist the project.
The nomination recognises the huge dedication shown by the local community to re-imagine this space and the ongoing work to bring it into regular community use.
We would like to express our gratitude to Southeastern, the Railway Heritage Trust and the local community for all their support.
Hollingbourne was one of over 100 stations nominated to feature in the 2023 World Cup of Stations competition, recognising the efforts of the local community to reimagine the former derelict booking hall as a community hub.
48 stations from around the country were shortlisted by Tim Dunn, with Hollingbourne going on to achieve 2nd place in the South East heats.
2022
Kent CRP was nominated in two categories at the national Community Rail Awards.
Winner – Small Projects Award. The Sunflower Mural developed by students from Five Acre Wood (Snodland) SEN School, to celebrate people’s individuality and raise awareness of hidden disabilities.
Third place – Involving Children and Young People. Awarded for projects engaging over 1800 young people in numerous diverse activities and projects as part of our “Youth Engagement” programmes across all three of our lines.
2021
We received nominations in two categories for the 2021 Community Rail Awards.
Best Community Engagement Project – Reaching out to involve diverse communities to become involved along our new Kent Downs Line.
Best Communications – Engaging our communities in the creation of history pages on our website and working with a Duke of Edinburgh volunteer to diversify our social media messaging to reach a wider audience.
2020
Kent CRP was nominated in three categories at the national Community Rail Awards.
Winner – Involving Children and Young People. Kent Community Rail Partnership and Sheppey College worked together to provide opportunities for students to get involved in a range of community projects. The main aim was to empower students to showcase their talents, boosting self-esteem, providing real-life experiences, and helping build portfolios to enhance employment prospects.
Some students went on to complete work experience placements with Southeastern, and their achievements were also recognised by being named Kent Young Volunteers of the Year for 2019.
Second place – Photo competition. Capturing the joy of SEN students who Kent CRP had helped to develop a new station garden.
Third place – Most Enhanced Station.
The Five Acre Wood (FAW) and Grow19 Project empowered students aged 16 to 25 with additional educational needs to feel valued in their community and develop functional skills through real-life experiences. Kent Community Rail Partnership worked with the group to transform an unsightly grassed area outside Snodland Station, plus the station’s booking hall, with all activities linked to their coursework and portfolios.
2019
Kent CRP was nominated in two categories at the national Community Rail Awards.
Third place – Involving Diverse Groups. The Five Acre Wood Project was designed to promote social inclusion for students with learning difficulties, cohesion through community working, developing new life skills through planning and implementing station improvements, and consequently improved health and wellbeing for these students. The project supports students to become independent train travellers and provides a voice for them in the community. Students designed and implemented changes to the unsightly area on the approach to Snodland station by creating a garden area.
Third place – Best Community Engagement Project. Sea Folk Sing on the Train was a community event to celebrate the Centenary Anniversary of the end of WW1 whilst promoting train travel, Community Rail engagement, reducing isolation and promoting wellbeing. The events took place during Armistice weekend on Saturday 10 November and Sunday 11 November 2018.
The project was a collaboration between many community groups to deliver an event to benefit all. An over 55’s community choir was established and sang at various stations and on a travelling train. Over 600 passengers heard the choir with over 350 passengers engaging directly with community rail officers.
2008 - 2018
Kent CRP has succesfully delivered many other impactful projects that benefit local communities and help community rail to flourish.
