Wigan Wallgate blossoms thanks to Northern’s green-fingered volunteers

Passengers at Wigan Wallgate are being welcomed by brighter platforms and blooming gardens after a team of volunteers from Northern spent the day giving the station a well-earned makeover.

Members of Northern’s Commercial & Customer team rolled up their sleeves for a community day at the busy station, planting new flowers, tackling weeds and sprucing up the public areas to make the station a more welcoming gateway for residents and visitors alike.

The initiative is part of Northern’s ongoing partnership with local volunteer groups and Community Rail Partnerships, which help to keep stations across Greater Manchester and the wider Northern network looking their best.

Among those lending her expertise on the day was Sheila Davidson, Secretary of the Friends of Hindley Station, a familiar face across Greater Manchester’s community rail scene.

A passionate volunteer, Sheila supports several groups across the region, sharing her experience and inspiring others to take pride in their local stations.

Alex Hornby, Commercial and Customer Director for Northern, said: “We all loved getting stuck in at Wigan Wallgate, alongside Sheila and the other fantastic volunteers.

"It was really rewarding for us as a team to work alongside local volunteers who put so much time and energy into their stations. It’s teamwork on the ground for the benefit of our customers and our communities, where it matters most, come rain or shine."

The operator hopes that the revitalised station will encourage more people to join local “station adoption” groups, which play a vital role in transforming stations into welcoming community spaces.

For more information about Northern’s community projects and how to get involved with local station adoption schemes, visit northernrailway.co.uk/community.

Northern is the second largest train operator in the UK, with 2,650 services a day to more than 500 stations across the North of England.