Meet the group of people who've adopted a rundown Milton Keynes train station to make it a better place

Determined volunteers are acheiving their aim of making a rundown rail station a better and more welcoming place.

The Friends of Bletchley Station (FOBS) group was formed three years ago to tackle the town’s drab and univiting train station.

The Friends of Bletchley Station are doing a great job in brightening up the town's rail station

placeholder image — The Friends of Bletchley Station are doing a great job in brightening up the town's rail station

Since then, members have worked with local parish ocuncils and many local organisations such as Men in Sheds, Milton Keynes Living Archive plus several local schools to help achieve their aims.

"FOBS adopted Bletchley Station with the aim of adding value to what is already there and help make the station more welcoming and attractive: a vital part of the local community,” said the groups chairperson Clive Pepper.

Bletchley Station was not particularly inviting until the Friends of Bletchley Station group began improving it

So far FOBS has installed planters and pot around the station, making sure many of the blooms are bee-friendly, as well as maintening of the Terry Silver Memorial flower bed close to the station entrance.

Poster boards have been erected on the blank walls, with posters obtained with the help of Milton Keynes Living Archive depicting the station past and present, Other poster boards are used to display work by local groups and schools, including photographic students at Lord Grey Academy and primary school pupils at The Premier Academy in Bletchley

A local graphic designer designed a mural depicting various aspects of Bletchley and this is now in place on platform 1

All these efforts have won the group a Community Champions plaque, which was presented by London Northwestern Railway and now proudly displayed at the station.

You can learn mroe about FOBS here.