Double celebration for GCRP at the Community Rail Awards

We’re delighted to share that Gloucestershire Community Rail Partnership (GCRP) has won two awards at this year’s Community Rail Awards. 

It was another great evening recognising the incredible work happening in community rail across the country, and we are proud to have been acknowledged for the impact of our projects.

The awards, now in their 20th year, celebrate outstanding achievement within community rail  and saw a record number of attendees at the latest ceremony in Newcastle.

Here’s how we got on…

Championing diversity with Black History Month Every Month

Our first award was for ‘Most Effective Communications Campaign’, which shone a light on our Black History Month Every Month project. This initiative looked to ensure Black history is embedded in everyday conversations and remains a visible presence at our stations all year round — not just for one month of the year.

We worked closely with a talented local artist to create an exhibition at Gloucester, Stroud, Stonehouse, and Cam & Dursley stations — collectively reaching over 2.5 million travellers each year. The project built on our work with Black Ark Media to develop Gloucestershire’s first Black History Map,  created to promote cultural understanding and active lifestyles.

Empowering young people in sustainable travel

Our second success fell within the ‘Influencing Positive Change and Sustainability’ category, recognising the impact of our Youth Travel Toolkit. This youth-led initiative involved over 600 young people, five businesses, and multiple rail industry partners, working together to understand the challenges young people face when it comes to sustainable travel. And, most importantly, the solutions they want to see.

The result is a practical toolkit that helps businesses engage with young people and consider their aspirations for greener transport options. The Local Visitor Economy Partnership Cotswold Plus has already incorporated it into its sustainable travel strategy, and the initiative has also led to the formation of a dedicated youth transport forum, with strong interest from young people keen to continue shaping the future of transport.

A huge thank you

Winning these awards is an honour, but more importantly, it’s testament to the strong collaborations and partnerships that make our work possible. We are grateful to all our partners, whose support has helped us bring these initiatives to life. 

GCRP extends our heartfelt thanks to Great Western Railway (GWR) who have consistently funded our youth programmes to culminate in significant engagement and insights to support the industry and our work, the Community Rail Network and the Department for Transport (DfT), United Kingdom and Active Gloucestershire for funding the Black History Map.

These projects are about ensuring that rail travel is accessible, inclusive, and sustainable for everyone, and their recognition strengthens our belief that community-led initiatives can drive real change. 

Our Executive Director, Hannah McDonnell, summed it up perfectly:

“These awards highlight the vital work we’re doing to amplify young people’s voices , encourage cultural understanding and to celebrate our diverse communities — each of which are key to shaping a more inclusive and connected future. They show how collaboration and community engagement can drive meaningful change, and we are incredibly proud to see our efforts recognised on a national stage. This success is a reflection of the dedication and passion of everyone involved, and we look forward to building on this momentum to continue making a difference.”

Until next year!