The voluntary Friends of Wellington Station group which launched three years ago is looking for more members to help enhance the property and its surroundings.

“We are incredibly lucky to have such a good train service running from Wellington, with regular routes to major cities,” said Sally Themans, chair of the friends group and a leading voice in the Love Wellington campaign.

“The station is a great building and just needs a little extra attention so we are asking residents to help us keep it attractive and vibrant.

“We have a range of initiatives, such as creating a ‘secret garden’, organising regular litter picks, improving paths and access for disabled people.

“We have also planted a lavender terrace on one of the platforms and installed timber planters and a Victorian style flower and herb cart so it rewarding and enjoyable volunteering work.”

Sally said that two new outdoor taps were just being installed at the station as part of a drinking bottle refill scheme which aims to help the environment, keep people healthy and save money.

It is hoped that the station will also receive a boost from a recently-announced £1 million government regeneration grant and will benefit from the ‘Stations as Places’ programme,

This national scheme aims to promote local railway stations as community ‘hubs’ rather than simply access points onto the rail network.

The vision is to develop them as an asset highly valued within the community, contributing to economic growth and acting as a hub for creativity, heritage and social amenity.

The Friends of Wellington Station will be involved in a planning workshop at the end of the month to inform a local prospectus. The group and local Town and Borough Councils are also waiting for more detail on improved access works due to be undertaken at the Station as part of the £300m Government ‘Access for All’ programme announced in 2019.