Press release -
Compact library launched for commuters at Berkswell station
A new compact community library has opened for passengers at Berkswell station.
The initiative has been launched by station adopters from The Berkswell Society, who hope to engage with travellers and create a warm welcome for commuters.
Over 150 books are now available for passengers to freely borrow or keep. People are also encouraged to donate used books in return to keep the shelves stocked with a fresh offering.
Volunteers from The Berkswell Society have been involved at the station since spring 2017. The group have been maintaining planters on the platforms, and the library is their latest venture to engage with the local community
Andrew Burrow, secretary of The Berkswell Society and a parish councillor, said: “The station is an important part of our community life and we are glad to be able to provide a facility which, alongside the station planters our volunteers put in two years ago, adds a little more life and colour to railway journeys. The library is open to everyone who uses the station, so we encourage people to get involved and pick up a new book for their journey.”
Fay Easton, head of stakeholder and community for West Midlands Railway said: ‘Our volunteers have a done a wonderful job collating the library and setting it up for our passengers at Berkswell. It has brightened up the waiting area and has created a talking point for those waiting for their train to arrive. The project follows the successful launch of a library in a telephone box on Old Waste Lane near Balsall Common in the summer of 2017, and it’s great to see a similar venture make it’s way onto the railway.”
West Midlands Railway is looking to facilitate community engagement at every one of it's 114 stations across the region. The train operator already supports over 150 station adopters, who create planters, support local arts projects and find new and innovative ways of using the space available at stations to engage with their local area.
For more information on how to get involved visit westmidlandsrailway.co.uk/adopt-station
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About The Berkswell Society
The Berkswell Society is the residents’ association for the parish and is dedicated to undertaking practical work to improve the parish. It also conducts an annual “open gardens” event where residents open their gardens to raise money for charity as part of the National Gardens Scheme.
The Society works closely with West Midlands Railway and adopted Berkswell station in April 2017. There are five planters at the Station and a further 24 spread throughout the parish. The society also maintains the roundabout by the station.
Berkswell parish includes the eastern part of Balsall Common (incorporating the station) and extends to the Coventry boundary to the east,
Further details of the society’s activities can be found on berkswellsociety.org.uk
For further information please contact Andrew Burrow on 01676 535 191 or 07860 302 232
About West Midlands Trains
West Midlands Trains operates both West Midlands Railway and London Northwestern Railway services.
- London Northwestern Railway services operate between Liverpool and Birmingham, and on the West Coast mainline to and from London Euston.
- West Midlands Railway services operate to destinations across the West Midlands via Birmingham New Street.
For more information on these services visit westmidlandsrailway.co.uk or londonnorthwesternrailway.co.uk
The West Midlands Trains franchise started on 10 December 2017 and will run until 2025/26.
West Midlands Trains operates 1,300 services a day, manages 150 stations and provides over 70 million passenger journeys a year. Over the course of the franchise, West Midlands Trains will be investing £1 billion into the rail network to deliver new trains, improved routes and station upgrades. This will include 400 new train carriages across the network and space for an extra 85,000 passengers into Birmingham and London at peak times.
The franchise is a joint venture between Abellio (70.1% share) and East Japan Railway Company / Mitsui & Co., Ltd (29.9% share in a 50:50 split). Abellio is the international passenger transport subsidiary of the Dutch national railway company, Nederlandse Spoorwegen. In the UK, Abelllio operates ScotRail and Greater Anglia train services, Merseyrail services in a joint venture with Serco and buses through Abellio London. For more information visit www.abellio.com
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