Scouts take on Gardening Project at Melton Station

A local scout group has taken on a gardening project at Melton station as pat of an initiative that will see them earn a new badge.

This month the 5th Woodbridge Sea Scouts group spent two days in September painting flower boxes and installing plants which now line the station car park. The first week cub scouts, ages 6 and 7, painted the four new boxes; the following week squirrels, ages 4 and 5, planted the flowers. After each evening the scouts enjoyed a walk to the Riverside car park picnic area and then took the train back to Woodbridge courtesy of Greater Anglia

The project was led by the East Suffolk Lines Community Rail Partnership which will help the scouts earn the new ‘Platforms for Change’ badge.

Platforms for Change is collaboration between UK Scouts, Community Rail Network, train operators and the rail industry and Community Rail Partnerships; it is designed to engage young people through station projects and activities along with journeys by train to help build confidence.

Community Rail Officer Thalia Woodgate said:

“I am really proud that passengers will now be welcomed by four beautiful plant boxes thanks to the hard work of the 5th Woodbridge Sea Scouts. We are delighted to be involved with the Platforms for Change initiative, helping young people to build travel confidence, learn new skills, and help to improve their community facilities.”

Greater Anglia’s Customer and Community Engagement Manager, Alan Neville, said:

“This is a wonderful initiative, and we are very grateful to the East Suffolk Lines Community Rail Partnership for the great work they are doing to put railways at the heart of the communities they serve and create a sense of pride in young people for their local railway station.”

The plants and flowers were local sourced from Katie’s Garden Plant Centre in Newbourne.