Suffolk Scouts Earn New Railway Badge

Thanks to a new initiative, scouts and cubs in Suffolk are leaning about the railway, which will see them earn a new badge.

This month, the East Suffolk Lines Community Rail Partnership hosted the 9th and 34th Ipswich scout group on a visit Derby Road rail station in Ipswich to learn about rail safety with Darren Griffiths of Railscape who maintains several aspects of the station on behalf of Greater Anglia. As a result, they will be the first scouts and cubs groups in Suffolk to receive the new ‘Platforms for Change’ badge.

‘Platforms for Change’ is a collaboration between Community Rail Network, Community Rail Partnerships, Scouts and the rail industry which is designed to engage and empower Scout groups across Britain through community rail activity, station projects and rail confidence trips.

As well as a ‘Platforms for Change’ badge specially designed for the programme, the groups can work towards other badges including gardening, volunteering, nature, photography, and writing.

East Suffolk Lines CRP officer, Thalia Woodgate, said:

“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.”

Alan Neville, Greater Anglia’s Customer and Community Engagement Manager, 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, provide fun educational opportunities and create a sense of pride in young people for their local railway station.”

Karen Bennett, Community Rail Network’s Education, and youth engagement advisor, said:

“We are delighted that the East Suffolk Lines Community Rail Partnership is taking part in the ‘Platform for Change’ initiative.

“The programme aims to engage and empower Scout groups across Britain through community rail activity, station projects and rail confidence trips and we look forward to seeing what the young people can achieve!”

The East Suffolk Lines Community Rail Partnership works with train operator Greater Anglia to keep the rail branch lines between Ipswich and Felixstowe/Lowestoft and their communities thriving by providing a voice for the community, promoting sustainable healthy and accessible travel, bringing communities together, and supporting diversity, inclusion and social and economic development.