RHS ‘It’s Your Neighbourhood’ awards for Kidsgrove station gardens

The hard work of station volunteers at Kidsgrove station has been recognised by the RHS (Royal Horticultural Society). 

This year, for the first time, the station volunteer teams entered the RHS ‘It’s Your Neighbourhood’ assessment for community gardens. They achieved a high Level 3 award, winning praise from the assessors for “attractive displays of planters” at Kidsgrove.

The RHS assessors measured the levels of community participation, environmental responsibility and gardening achievement when visiting the station.

The 9-strong volunteer team at Kidsgrove station have introduced a wildflower area and installed bird and insect boxes and hedgehog houses to help sustain wildlife. The communal garden, which includes a fragrant rose garden and a stunning embankment garden, is much appreciated by passengers; in a survey carried out by the community rail partnership this year, 100% responded that Kidsgrove station is “now a nicer place to travel” thanks to the dedication of the station volunteers. The local TESCO, garden centres and the Rotary are all supporters of the project and children from St Thomas’ primary are also involved in tending the flower displays.

Partnership Project Officer, Faye Lambert, said: “This is a great achievement for the very dedicated volunteers at Kidsgrove and Uttoxeter stations, whose hard work is making a real difference for passengers.”