New Planters at Maidstone West

A pair of wooden planters with fresh planting on a station platform.

Our fantastic station adopters, Maidstone CAN made a huge step forward with their plans with their plans to improve the station environment for passengers and the local community.

On Sunday 19th April, we joined volunteers from Maidstone CAN to receive delivery of the planters, move them across the tracks to platform 1 and then shift the soil and compost ready for planting.

Vincent Jasper, lead volunteer had put in a lot of work behind the scenes to help the day go smoothly; securing backing for the project from Community Rail Network’s Small Grants Fund, arranging for delivery of materials to the station, negotiating storage until we were ready to go, gathering a team of helpers and crucially negotiating safe escorted access for materials to be transported over the station’s barrow crossing.

Jack Harper, Southeastern station supervisor made sure the line blocks were in place, Vincent had chosen a Sunday to avoid any disruption to services.

A group of people wheel a large wooden planter on a trolley across the railway on a barrow crossing. They are being escorted by a member of railway staff A group of people wheel a large wooden planter on a trolley onto a station platform from track level. A member of railway staff is escorting them

Once everything was across, the planters were placed carefully into position, lined to help prevent rot then filled with a rubble base and a mix of soil and compost.  Finally the plants themselves went in and were given a good waterning.

A selection of plants laid out on a station bench. A pair of wooden planters on a station platform, bags of peat free compost, and soil. Seven people are helping to fill the planters

Maidstone CAN chose a local craftsmen for the construction, used peat free composts and will recycle empty bags. Everything about the project aligns with their objectives to create a greater awareness of the environment and what we can do individually to help nature to thrive.

A wooden planter with fresh planting on a station platform. A wooden planter with fresh planting on a station platform.
A group of 10 people wave their arms, as they celebrate completing the installation of two wooden planters filled with soil and fresh planting.

Image – Courtesy of Maidstone CAN

Maidstone CAN will keep up regular watering until the plants are established and manage their ongoing care. They hope to use the space in the future to educate people about nature and the environment.

 

If you would like to get involved, please contact Maidstone CAN.

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