G
et Involved
At Kent CRP we are always looking for new volunteers to get involved with projects and activities along our three lines.
When volunteering, you can expect to be treated with respect, dignity, and kindness by everyone on the Kent CRP team. Volunteering is and should be for everyone.
There are lots of ways that you can support our work. Feel free to look around the Kent CRP and Community Rail Network websites for inspiration, and tell us about your own ideas too.
- Helping us at events in your local community. e.g. assisting at promotional stalls.
- Sharing your skills on a pro-bono basis. e.g. creating content for social media campaigns, taking photos for our website and social media.
- Acting as a Walk Assistant on our led walks.
Meet our Volunteers
Follow this link to hear from some of our volunteers about why they support us and help Community Rail to flourish.
There are additional volunteering opportunities through our partnership with Walk Wheel Cycle Trust to access resources and training to prepare you to run promotional stalls, or to support our led walks and cycle rides.
Station Adoption
More and more community groups and individuals are adopting their local station. It’s all about local pride and seeing the station as an important part of the community. Railway companies have seen a rise in the use of adopted stations, less vandalism and in many cases externally-funded improvements.
Station Adoption groups can undertake a wide variety of activities, ranging from feeding in comments, the provision of station enhancements such as gardening and planters, through to art work and signage. Station adoption is a way of transforming stations, bringing them into the heart of the community and encouraging greater use of environmentally friendly public transport.
Safety is paramount. You also need to make sure that whatever you do, has the agreement of Southeastern and Network Rail. Both are very supportive of communities adopting their station.
Kent Community Rail Partnership facilitates initial connections between Southeastern and Station Adoption groups along our lines. All Station Adoption Groups must be registered with Southeastern and follow their advice around safe working at stations. Station Adoption Groups are volunteering for Southeastern.
Station Adoption Groups need to be self supporting, managing their own time and raising their own funds. There may be opportunities for Station Adoption Groups to apply for financial support from Southeastern through Southeastern in Bloom and Southeastern’s Customer and Community Improvement Fund. Constituted groups with their own bank account can join Community Rail Network and gain access to their Small Grants Fund.
To find out more about Station Adoption you can contact us at the Kent Community Rail Partnership or visit Community Rail Network. This tells you how to go about setting up an adoption group and has lots of examples of what station adopters have achieved at stations around the country. Click the link to view the Station Adoption booklet produced by Community Rail Network: Station Adoption Booklet.Community Rail Network
Network Rail’s Community Scheme
If your station adoption group would like to make use of railway land that is not in the Southeastern lease, this can be requested through Network Rail’s Community Scheme. The scheme enables groups to look after non-operational areas of Network Rail land, such as disused platforms, land adjoining stations, or land underneath viaducts.
Groups keep the area tidy, pick up litter and trim vegetation. Some grow flowers, vegetables and herbs in tubs or planters.
Network Rail has devised precautions, based on the safety procedures for their track workers, to keep volunteers away from the danger of moving trains and make sure they don’t cause problems for the operating railway. They take time to assess each proposal for a Community Scheme and create a bespoke legal agreement. Network Rail’s Community Scheme is not considered suitable for individuals or informal groups.
Adopted and Community Stations
Medway Valley Line
Aylesford – Aylesford Station Adoption Group
Cuxton – Friends of Cuxton Station
Halling – In progress
Maidstone West – Maidstone CAN
Snodland – Five Acre Wood (Snodland)
Tonbridge – The Oaks Specialist College (Southeast CRP)
Wateringbury – Dave Mitchelmore
Swale Rail Line
Sittingbourne – EKC Sheppey College, EKC Sheppey School & 4th Milton Regis (St Mary’s) Cubs
Kemsley – EKC Sheppey College & EKC Sheppey School
Swale Halt – EKC Sheppey College & EKC Sheppey School
Queenborough – EKC Sheppey College, EKC Sheppey School & Queenborough Town Council
Sheerness-on-Sea – EKC Sheppey College & EKC Sheppey School
Kent Downs Line
Ashford – Ashford College
Bearsted – Bearsted CAN
Borough Green and Wrotham – Friends of Borough Green and Wrotham Station
Charing (Ashford Bound) – Heath Farm School
Charing (London Bound) – Charing Parish Council
Lenham – Lenham School
Maidstone East – Valley Park School
West Malling – Grow 19
Hollingbourne Station on the Kent Downs Line is a Community Station- https://www.thestationathollingbourne.com
Contact Us
If you want to get involved, please get in touch.
We are commited to ensuring the welfare of our volunteers. If you are under 18 years of age and wish to get involved, please discuss your plans with a parent or guardian and ask them to contact us on your behalf.
The Kent Community Rail Partnership is hosted by Walk Wheel Cycle Trust and follow their Data and Privacy Policy
Alternatively please email or phone one of our Project Officers to answer your questions:
Therese Hammond – Kent Downs Line: 07917 131248 therese.hammond@walkwheelcycletrust.org.uk
Gary Outram – Medway Valley Line: 07787 434258 gary.outram@walkwheelcycletrust.org.uk
Vicky Wright – Swale Rail Line: 07717 470593 vicky.wright@walkwheelcycletrust.org.uk
