Community Rail Lancashire has been working with Community Rail Cumbria on a project along the Furness Line called Soulful Days Out.
The aims of the project are to increase the number of social contacts/friendships, reduce the feeling of isolation and anxiety increase confidence in being out-and-about independently, learning new skills, taking part in physical activities, increase the feeling of being a valued member of society and to stimulate new interest in volunteering within Community Rail Cumbria.
Soulful Days Out group at Barrow-in-Furness Docks Museum
This week the first two trips took place. A group from Lancaster travelled to Barrow-in-Furness and visited the Dock Museum. They enjoyed the walk from the station especially seeing some buildings that held memories from their past along with the history of Barrow. At the museum they enjoyed a guided tour, lunch in the café and some time to explore the museum.
-
- The Trefoil Guild Ladies at Silverdale station
-
- CRL’s Catherine (far left) in a hide at Leighton Moss
Another group travelled from Barrow-in Furness to Silverdale and visited RSPB Leighton Moss. The group explored the reserve, seeing some of the birds up close, enjoyed lunch in the café and completed some crafts related to the curlew bird. The group had requested this as Cumbria South Guiding Country are taking part in Operation Curlew during 2023/24 and so this gave the Trefoil Guild a chance to take part too.
CRL’s Katie on tea duties at Leighton Moss
Lots of memories were made by all on these trips. A big thank you to Northern Railway for funding this project and travel.
Eileen Grandison, says in an email to Richard Watts, Chair of Community Rail Lancashire, “I am Secretary of Duddon Trefoil Guild, and we have just spent a lovely few hours in the company of Katie and Catherine who are two extremely caring ladies and I just wanted to say on behalf of all the Ladies on the trip to Leighton Moss today what a fantastic asset they are to Community Rail Lancashire and obviously when dealing with ourselves for Cumbria Community Rail.”
Eileen went on to say; “They anticipated everyone’s needs 100% and went over and beyond in making sure we were all taken care of either on the train, walking to and from the reserve and in the venue itself, and we can’t wait to see them again on the 29th February.”
