Newton volunteers spring into station clean-up

More than 30 people headed for the station to help Northern prepare for 2018 by planting spring bulbs and giving the platform and waiting areas a little bit of TLC.

Volunteers from Tameside Council, Network Rail, Carillion and Northern all worked together to plant more than 2,000 bulbs ready for the warmer weather.

And they got out their paintbrushes too to give the waiting shelter a lick of a paint – and a new lease of life.

Vicky Cropper, Community and Sustainability Manager for Northern, said: “Although we’re only halfway through October, we are already thinking about next year and the bulbs we have planted will make Newton for Hyde a real spectacle come the spring.

“The new paint job has also brightened up the station, but it has nothing on the newest feature we installed. Local schoolchildren have dedicated hours to creating artwork to be displayed at the station and we were honoured to be able to put it up during the community day.”

Vicky added: “These are really only small steps, but they go a long way towards making a station more welcoming and really highlight what can be achieved when communities and the railway pull together.”

Councillor Peter Robinson, Chair of South East Manchester Community Rail Partnership, said: “It was a tremendous effort by a well organised team of volunteers, including people from the council’s services team. The artwork provided by local young people from the Bennett Street Youth Club will really improve the station.”