FOUR Essex rail stations are up for ‘adoption’ to make them more wildlife-friendly and welcoming. 

Greater Anglia is looking for residents to get involved with their railway stations and boost improvements by making them more welcoming. 

Thorpe-le-Soken's station is one of the four stations looking for ‘station adopters’ next to Harlow Town, Kelvedon and Shenfield.

Residents, community organisations and local councils who are interested in supporting a station can contact the train provider, who will provide funding for small projects, tools and materials. 

The volunteering scheme was originally created to improve the lines of communication between the train operator and its users and has evolved to station adopters having an active role in making the stations more welcome. 

With gardening projects, stations have also been made more wildlife-friendly and supportive of biodiversity in the area. 

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

“We would love to see every station on the network adopted as it makes such a positive difference when the community is actively involved in their local station. 

“Station adoption creates mutually beneficial relationships and dialogue to help us understand what improvements are important to local people and promotes civic pride and wellbeing by bringing people together and enhancing public spaces.” 

Greater Anglia has currently more than 330 adopters at more than 125 stations across Essex, Suffolk, Norfolk, Hertfordshire and Cambridgeshire.

Anyone interested in volunteering for the project can get in touch with Alan Neville, the organiser of the station adoption initiative.