Now a second award for best kept station

March 2010                                                                                                                          A NANTWICH IN BLOOM PAGE   

 

 

The Mayor of Nantwich with the two awards won by Nantwich Station thanks to the members of Nantwich in Bloom and Nantwich Transport Group. The right-hand plaque was unveiled by the Mayor and the Chairman of Nantwich in Bloom, Alderman Doug Butterill (below, centre). 

The Mayor unveiled the left-hand plaque last year.

 

FOR the second year in a row, Nantwich railway station has won an award in the Cheshire Best Kept Stations competition.

   Last year it was the Best-kept Gardens award; this year the Community Award. The new award was received in a ceremony at The Salt Museum, Northwich, last month. [See below].

   Nantwich in Bloom Committee members and Nantwich Transport Group representatives attended a ceremony on the up-line platform at Nantwich Station on Tuesday, March 9, in which the Mayor of Nantwich (Cllr Edith Williams), unveiled the latest award.

   She was introduced by Alderman Doug Butterill, Chairman, Nantwich in Bloom, who helped the Mayor with the unveiling (centre). He said: “I used to say that Nantwich Station was the most ugly, most boring station that I knew.

    “For years we endeavoured to keep the Britain in Bloom judges away from it. But now I boast it is the most attractive station between Manchester and Cardiff. And nobody who has heard that boast disagrees with me. It has certainly improved tremendously.

    “We have had co-operation from Nantwich Transport  Group, who raised the funding, and particularly Cllr John Lewis (a member of the group) who has worked tirelessly to try to get the outside

 

 

the car park done.”

   She said the flower beds looked wonderful and expressed thanks to the Nantwich in Bloom Committee. "Without them this wouldn’t happen. I look forward to when we run out wall for the awards. Well done to all of you.”

   She said it was nice to go to Northwich to collect the award.

 

GERAINT Morgan, Community Affairs Manager for Arriva Trains, said the Station Manager was in Cardiff and sent her apologies. He said: “You are a testimony to what community spirit is all about. If we had lots of people like you on the stations it would be great. They are getting better and you are setting the standards for other groups to follow.

   “We have our conference for adopters (non-rail groups who carry out work on stations) in Chester in May and we will use this as an example of what can be achieved when people pull together.

   “Well done and congratulations.”

 

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Cheshire Best Kept Stations

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 tidied up. But that’s another long story.

   “Nantwich Town Council has been a great help in helping to fund the watering. We have had help from the Fire Cadets as well.

   “Nantwich in Bloom come as and when required. Planting up, tidying, weeding, dead-heading. And they keep the station looking very well.

   There's a real community involvement and I think we thoroughly deserve the Community Award.”

 

THE Mayor, Cllr Williams, said: “A big thank you to everyone. I know John Lewis has worked very hard to get the station as it is and he’s still working hard to get

 

 

 

After the unveiling ceremony, the volunteers pose with the Mayor. Left to right are Connie Jones (Secretary, Nantwich in Bloom), Jean Hallam (Nantwich in Bloom); Cllr John Lewis and Penny Butterill (Chairman) of Nantwich Transport Group; Glyn Forster, Sue Hughes, and Alderman Butterill, all of Nantwich in Bloom.

Volunteers receive the award

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nantwich in Bloom volunteers,  Margaret Lavin and Genni Butler (left), the Mayor of Nantwich (Cllr Edith Williams, second right), and NiB Secretary, Connie Jones (right), receive the award from Helen Carey OBE DL, Chairman of the Cheshire Landscape Trust and Vice Chairman of Keep Britain Tidy (centre).

Picture: Cheshire Best Kept Stations

AS a result of the work of Nantwich In Bloom Committee which was instrumental in the success in the competition, the 2010 award was collected in the Salt Museum ceremony by Nantwich in Bloom Secretary, Connie Jones.

   The party at the presentation included the Mayor of Nantwich (Cllr Edith Williams), and NiB Volunteers Margaret Lavin and Genni Butler.

 

   Arriva Trains, who have a franchise on the station (while Network Rail own the lines)have invited Nantwich in Bloom to do a presentation at their "Adopt a Station" conference  at The Queen's Hotel, Chester, on Saturday, May 8th.

   Cheshire is the only county in England to have a best-kept station competition.