The dedicated team behind the revamp of Station House in Campsea Ashe have celebrated receiving a National Railway Heritage Award.
The Station House passed out of railway ownership in 1967 and stood empty until 2006.
But following a near five-year fundraising campaign the group behind the refurbishment – Station House Community Connections (SHCC) – have transformed the building into a successful community asset.
The innovative project was awarded The Taylor Woodrow Partnership Award at the National Railway Heritage Awards in December in recognition of ‘improvements to or restoration of a historic railway to tramway’.
Members of the awards committee, fundraisers, donors and SHCC members got together on Friday to unveil a plaque at the station. To make it extra special, the Station House was also celebrating its first anniversary since re-opening.
To mark the occasion, SHCC has launched a new outdoor community garden and cafe seating area as well as an exhibiting space for artists.
Founder and trustee Rosamund Webb described the award as “the icing on the cake”.
She said: “We opened a year ago after a year’s building work and nearly five years of fundraising in order to transform Station House.
“We already have a cafe, meeting room and information services. But what we have been able to now open is an outside seating area and a community garden where people can grow, tend and pick vegetables.
“The vision for the Station House was that it is a way of bringing people together in a place that doesn’t have many places to network and meet.
“It is a way of enhancing the rural environment and the architectural landscape. The award was the icing on the cake.”
Unveiling the plaque, Fred Garner, of Taylor Woodrow, said he was delighted the Station House had won the award, saying effective teamwork is crucial to delivering successful projects, especially when there are lots of stakeholders involved.
He said: “Aligning them all to achieve an outstanding outcome for the local community, as has been achieved here, is a real achievement and everyone involved is to be congratulated.”
For more information on the Station House project, go to www.stationhousecampseaashe.co.uk
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