Todmorden ~ Britain in Bloom 2007 Silver-Gilt Achievement award!!!!!

Todmorden Station Partnership

Amazing things are happening at Todmorden Station

Local artist Jeremy Burgoyne with his original drawings, and the finished plaque

The following article was published in the Todmorden News today. A fitting accolade to all the hard work that volunteers and the Todmorden Station Partnership have put into making this happen.

Todmorden News, March 15 2007

The new signs and insignia were launched at the station by a group of passionate people, who have teamed up with Calderdale Council, voluntary groups and local businesses to create a more welcoming, safer and greener station.

Community Worker Mary Clear said: "Local firms have pulled out all the stops to create flower beds and reproduce the British Rail lion insignia."

"The creation of two plaques has involved the cooperation of half a dozen companies and a local artist. It has been a long journey from the first sketch of a long lost British Rail lion, that once graced the station, to the final installation on its plinth."

Local artist Jeremy Burgoyne sketched his impression of the old plaque and from there, with high hopes and no money, the dream was turned into a reality as the local community came together.

The original lion emblem had proudly welcomed visiors since before the war but was never found after it was stolen in the 1980s.

Mayor of Todmorden, Councillor Brian Hewson, said: "I would like to thank all those who were involved, it was a real team effort.

For many people who come to Todmorden the train station is the first thing they see and it is nice to see all the flowers and now the lion. It will create a good first impression for people visiting."

Mary added that it was important that the whole community came together to create a clean and colourful Todmorden ahead of Britain in Bloom.

"The judges will arrive by train and they will see no ordinary station. We want as much colour as possible and the lion looks great," she added, "The town faces stiff competition in its town category competing against Henley-upon-Thames and the City of London, but I think we can do it."

Mary went on to thank the people who made the new signs possible.

"They loved working on it and for nothing. "

"It just shows the spirit in the town. They all mucked in and they are proud to say they helped to make the lions."

The symbol is the latest innovation at the station which also has an art gallery, a mini-library and a herb garden in the summer.