Margaret McCulloch MSP is encouraging people in her Central Scotland region to ‘adopt’ their local train station as part of a First ScotRail scheme.

With full support from the External Relations team at ScotRail, community groups and volunteers can take care of their local stations for good causes from promoting active lifestyles to giving young people who are out-of-work some meaningful work experience.

Where vacant space is available, ScotRail can even provide accommodation for use by the community or start-up enterprises such as the Pitlochry Station Bookshop and the Clyde Model Railway Club at Lanark.

 

Margaret McCulloch MSP said:

“Train stations are important public places that many of us use on a day-to-day basis. The idea that the community can come together to make those public places more welcoming and more attractive is a really positive one.

“Stations have already been adopted in Lanark and Hamilton and it would be great if the initiative could be extended to other stations, especially well used ones, like East Kilbride and Hairmyres or even Thorntonhall.

“I served on the Scottish Parliament’s Finance Committee for several months and in that time I was presented with a wealth of evidence stressing the benefits of preventative spending and early intervention.

“Giving someone who might have a disability or an illness a supportive environment in which they can do good work for their friends and neighbours can have a positive effect on their health and well-being. Teaching young people, especially those who are struggling to find work, basic skills like gardening or grounds maintenance could be hugely beneficial to them in future. And coming together as a community can be a good cause in itself.

“I would appeal to schools, gardeners, community groups and anyone who is interested in doing their bit for their community to get in touch and we can volunteer together to improve our local train stations.”

Margaret McCulloch can be contacted at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or by telephone on 01236 423 555. Anyone interested in working with others to adopt a station should feel free to get in touch.