The Friends of Buxton Station (FoBS) are very excited to announce that their efforts have been rewarded once again after being shortlisted for three of this year’s Community Rail Network’s National Awards.

The shortlisting announcement coincided with a visit to view ‘Buzzing Stations’, the latest project by the voluntary community group from High Peak MP, Robert Largan.

FoBS showed they are “on the right track” when selected as one of the best in the country in three categories; this is the fourth time the Buxton group has been put forward for three awards in consecutive years: 

•    Involving Young People - for a project called the Mini-Saga Challenge, which sought happy and uplifting 50-word stories from home-schooling Buxton pupils during the early days of COVID-19 lockdown.

•    Project costing less than £500 - for the group’s collaboration with Buxton Lions and local weather forecaster, Michael Hilton to restore a vandalised memorial bench seat dedicated to Winifred Pilkington, Borough Meteorologist for 40 years.  The renovated bench seat sits next to Buxton Weather Station on The Slopes. 

•    It’s Your Station- for the maintenance of the innovative Japanese Garden in an area under the historic fanlight window previously covered in 10m tall self-setting trees and the group’s extensive community development work. 

This recognition comes on the back of the group’s triumphant wins in 2016 and 2018, when they walked away with the top honours in the small projects category for their project to light up the station’s Grade II Listed fanlight window at night and best station enhancement category given for the installation of a defibrillator inside an old red phone box due to be scrapped.  

David Carlisle, Chairman of FoBS commented: 

"We are so pleased to be shortlisted for the awards once again as we are immensely proud of our station.  This year, we are up against some very stiff competition, including the Friends of Glossop Station, so our fingers are crossed!  For the fourth consecutive year, we have entered the rarefied atmosphere of being shortlisted in three different categories.  

“We must be doing something right.  It is recognition not just for us, but for those who work with or support us – including D. B. Cargo (UK) Limited, Northern Trains Limited, High Peak Borough Council, Network Rail and the High Peak & Hope Valley Community Rail Partnership."

Robert Largan, MP commented: 

“Congratulations to FoBS and the Glossop Friends on the shortlisting and the fantastic Buzzing Stations partnership project.  I feel privileged to take a small part in this, taking up the invitation to plant something in support of our endangered High Peak Bilberry bumblebees.”