Case Study 5

Salford Central has recently been adopted by the group On the Out, a voluntary organisation based in Greater Manchester. The new Friends of Salford Central Station provide ex-offenders with support and practical information once they are released from prison. Based on a grant from the Station Adoption Fund, they will be aiming to reduce stigma and stereotype, assist reintegration into the community and develop volunteering and training opportunities for ex offenders.

The first stage of their project will consist of building planters, planting vegetables and herbs for commuters to take home with them, and creating artwork for the currently barren platforms. The group would also like to explore the possibility of developing a social enterprise through pop up shops, working in partnership with the bakery inside Strangeways Prison. They are also looking into the potential for setting up a bicycle repair workshop for commuters who store their bikes at the station hub.