Community Rail Lancashire (CRL) is pleased to announce that it has been successful in bidding for funding for two projects from Northern’s Seed Corn Fund.
The first project is called ‘Back on Track’ and involves local artist Karen Allerton and Child Action North West (CANW) who work with vulnerable young people across the North West of England.
Through the project the young people will look at how the Covid-19 pandemic has affected them and how they plan to get their lives ‘Back on Track’. Although the project will look at how 2020 has changed their lives it will also have a strong focus on the future. The young people are being asked to think about what changes they would like to see in their lives, the wider community and for the planet resulting from the pandemic and then how the railway can help as part of getting ‘Back on Track’.
The resultant artwork will be displayed at Darwen station on the Blackburn to Manchester line which is well used by young people travelling to work, education and leisure.
The second project, ‘100 Women 100 Journeys’ builds on CRL’s successful Women Who Wander and Women in STEM projects and aims to promote safe travel for women and to promote the Women’s Aid’s Rail to Refuge scheme (see www.womensaid.org.uk/ and www.womensaid.org.uk/rail-to-refuge-faqs/).
The project is also designed to help renew rail travel post-pandemic and to inspire young women to look towards the rail industry for their careers. The final stage of the project is to launch a ‘100 Women 100 Journeys’ booklet on International Women’s Day on Monday 8th March 2021.
Richard Watts, Chair of Community Rail Lancashire commented; “I am delighted that these two projects have secured funding from Northern’s Seed Corn Fund and look forward to seeing the artwork in place at Darwen and the publication of the booklet.”
Richard went on to say; “CRL is a strong supporter of community engagement and these projects show our commitment in continuing to promote confidence in the railway and working with those who have additional needs.”
You can find out more about the 100 Women 100 Journeys by visiting the Down the Line website on this link: downtheline.org.uk/projects/100-women-100-journeys/
