Photo courtesy of Paul Bigland showing a big room full of people at Derby Arena during the 2026 Community Rail Awards.
Can you believe it’s been a week since the #CommunityRail Awards? 🥳
We hope you've caught up with all the highlights from the night and learnt more about the inspiring 1st, 2nd and 3rd place winners 🏆
Visit our Hall of Fame for more! 👉 #CRA26 communityrail.org.uk/hall-of-fame...
Graphic with the text '2026 Community Rail Awards' and '#CRA26' in the corner. Below, bold text reads, 'We're proud to support.' The Community Rail Network logo is at the bottom.
Three volunteers in purple vests waving joyfully beside a silhouette-style cutout figure of Shakespeare at Shirley railway station.
🎉 An inspiring range of rail projects bringing communities together across Britain have been honoured at the Community Rail Awards.
We’re proud to support the inspiring work of community rail and the positive impact it brings. 💚🚆
👉 https://bit.ly/3NUVswQ
#CRA26
Really pleased to see the commitment and advocacy of @dominic-noades.bsky.social celebrated at the Community Rail Awards 2026.
An outstanding volunteer.
#CRA26
Truely deserved @dominic-noades.bsky.social
Thanks for all you do across Kent.
@kentridergaz.bsky.social #CRA26 #CommunityRail
I was Absolutely delighted & honoured to receive national recognition, with winning the ‘Outstanding Volunteer Contribution’ Award at the Community Rail Awards Last night.
I hope this can inspire more young people to join Community Rail.
📸 Credit to: @communityrail.bsky.social
#CRA26
#Derby we've had a blast!
We're thrilled and very proud winners of the ‘Most Effective Communications Campaign’ award at the 2026 Community Rail Network Awards.
abbeylinecommunityrail.org.uk/news/grassro...
#CRA26 #CommunityRail
Well that’s it, our 2026 awards are over and what an evening it’s been!
Congratulations to all our winners and everyone who entered 👏
It’s because of you that #CommunityRail is the incredible, inspiring movement it is. We couldn't be more proud of everything you do! 💟 #CRA26
Our outstanding community rail partnership winner is Yorkshire Coast CRP. Their passion for heritage, creative engagement & volunteering shines through everything they do. From nurturing station adopters to bringing local stories to life, this group makes rail more welcoming, accessible, fun💖 #CRA26
Farnborough Street Residents Association is our outstanding station group. By planting, building, repairing and reimagining, these dedicated volunteers have transformed an overlooked corner of their station into a space filled with life, welcome and possibility 💕 #CRA26
Congratulations to our own Sandy Burn, volunteer adopter with the Friends of Westerfield Station, who grabs 2nd place in the category Outstanding Volunteer Contribution at #CRA26
And now, on with our final category of the night - another very special award!
Sponsored by Southeastern Railway, this award enables Community Rail Network to recognise a group that has delivered outstanding achievements and contributions to #CommunityRail over the past year 🎊 #CRA26
The Board’s Special Recognition Award goes to Jayne Sumner! As manager of Essex & South Suffolk CRP for 15 years, Jayne has been a shining role model, inspiring everyone around her and working tirelessly to connect communities and champion #CommunityRail 💚 #CRA26
Our penultimate category of the evening is the ‘Board’s Special Recognition Award’.
This award is all about recognising an individual’s exceptional service to, or the championing of, #CommunityRail, especially over a longer time-period.
Who do you think it could be? 🥁 #CRA26
Very well-deserved congratulations to our 2nd place winner Sandy Burn, volunteer with the Friends of Westerfield Station, and our 3rd place winner David Gibson, volunteer at Witham, Cressing and Braintree Freeport stations 🤗 #CRA26
It's Dominic Noades! Since joining Kent CRP as a teenager, Dominic has thrown himself into events, station projects, guided walks and even café shifts with fantastic enthusiasm, growing in confidence and becoming a brilliant advocate for #CommunityRail ❣️ #CRA26
We've seen what amazing contributions all our #CommunityRail volunteers make. The 'Outstanding Volunteer Contribution' award (sponsored by Cross Country) celebrates someone who's been nominated by colleagues for making an outstanding difference. Who do you think it is? 🥰 #CRA26
Give it up for our 2nd place winner TransWilts CRP for 'Wiltshire Bingo Trains' and our 3rd place winner Kents Bank Station Library for 'The Pop-Up Station Buffet' 🏅 #CRA26
Our top winner is the Friends of Burton Joyce & Lowdham Station for 'Newark Brake Trials'. With only a modest budget, students designed, built and tested their own model carriages. The result was a joyful blend of learning, creativity and friendly competition 🚊 #CRA26
Let's reveal the winners of the 'Small Projects Award', sponsored by Hitachi Rail 🏆
This award shows how a small budget can go a long way. With the right people involved, clever use of resources and some creative thinking, £500 can make a big difference 💰 #CRA26
A round of applause for our winning photos: 1st place, 'Brighouse Busy Lizzies’ by Friends of Brighouse Station; 2nd place, 'Hound Dog Blues on the Altrincham to Chester Music Train' by Friends of Altrincham Interchange; 3rd place, 'Some Might Say' by Cromford Station Volunteers 📷 #CRA26
Now it's time for a familiar favourite - the Photo Competition, sponsored by Porterbrook.
We asked you to submit images that captured the essence of #CommunityRail and you didn't disappoint! A whopping 1,967 public votes were cast as people chose their favourites 📸 #CRA26
Well done to our 2nd place winner Severnside CRP, Great Western Railway & Bridgwater Safeguarding Partnership Group for 'Resilient Futures: Bridgwater Safeguarding Response' and our 3rd place winner Glenfinnan Station Museum Trust for 'Glenfinnan Solar Snowplough Exhibition' 🎉 #CRA26
Our 1st place trophy goes to Community Rail Lancashire and Lancashire Archives for 'The English Queen'. Through immersive experiences and creative resources, young people were encouraged to explore the evolution of rail and its role within a more sustainable future 👑 #CRA26
Who's ready for the 'Influencing Positive Change & Sustainability' category, sponsored by Northern?
This category highlights how #CommunityRail encourages climate-aware thinking & supports resilient, cohesive communities, leaving a legacy for the next generation 💚 #CRA26
Let's give it up for our 2nd place winner Gloucestershire CRP for 'The Story Express' and our 3rd place winner Southeast Communities Rail Partnership for 'Annual Review 2024-25' 🎊 #CRA26
In 1st place we have Abbey Line CRP for 'From Rail to Reel: Celebrating the Abbey Line through film'. Drawing on local community voices, the team created a warm, engaging short film that brought the line’s story to life - and it even premiered at an independent cinema 🎥 #CRA26
It's time for our ninth category of the night - 'Most Effective Communications Campaign', sponsored by Govia Thameslink Railway.
This category shines a spotlight on creative, standout communications that bring #CommunityRail to life and create lasting impact 🤳 #CRA26
A big congratulations to our 2nd place winner Tyne Valley CRP for 'Celebrating Haltwhistle' and our 3rd place winner Essex & South Suffolk CRP for 'Harwich Town Community Garden' 🌟 #CRA26
Our 1st place winner is the Friends of Birkdale Station for 'Birkdale Station Masters House'. The dedicated volunteers transformed the disused space into a thriving community hub and library, now a place for learning, creativity, connection and countless local activities 🫂 #CRA26
We're halfway through the fabulous #CommunityRail Awards 🎉
Let's dive into the 'Most Enhanced Railway Spaces' category, sponsored by Greater Anglia, which focuses on how #CommunityRail breathes new life into railway spaces, bringing them into the heart of the community. #CRA26
