Positive artwork installed to brighten up Tamworth station

Thursday, 8 August 2019

Artwork and photographs with positive messages of wellbeing have gone on display at Tamworth station to help create a brighter more welcoming space for passengers.

The pieces of art have been put up along platforms, in waiting areas and on bus shelters to help people feel happier when they’re travelling through the station.

The artwork has been designed and created by people who have received treatment at the George Bryan Centre in Tamworth. They worked with local artist Andy Nash in partnership with the Arts for Health team at Midlands Partnership NHS Foundation Trust.

People using local mental health services also contributed a series of landscape photographs and words from poems and reflections on the subject of ‘safe places’. These were created as part of a project ‘A Place of Safety’ exploring the idea of a place of safety and what that means for different people.

Vicky Cropper, head of stakeholder and community for London Northwestern Railway, said: “We are committed to making our stations as accessible and welcoming as possible and this innovative project has our full support.

"Our £1 billion investment includes more, modern, trains, better stations and work to improve access to our network. The message is clear - everyone is welcome to travel on our railway.”

Helen Wilson, MPFT Arts for Health project lead said: “The displays offer positive messages of recovery and mental wellbeing as well as creating attractive and enjoyable spaces.

"Railway stations are places where many of us wait and it has been shown that looking at photographs of natural scenes has a similar positive impact on people’s wellbeing to being there”.

Cllr Alan White, deputy leader of Staffordshire County Council added: “The Tamworth Station Artwork Project is an excellent example of partnership working and getting local communities involved. This simple project aims to transform the feel of the station to make it a more pleasant and hopeful place to be”.

Richard Godwin, from Network Rail, said: “The stunning photographs, wording, artwork and messages created as part of this rewarding community project have made a real difference to both the artists who took part and now the passengers at Tamworth station who can enjoy them.

"Network Rail is proud to have funded this project in conjunction with West Midlands Railway, London Northwestern Railway and CrossCountry Trains. We hope more projects of this kind can be replicated to improve both the journey experience and the wellbeing of passengers elsewhere in the country.”

About West Midlands Trains

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West Midlands Trains operates both West Midlands Railway and London Northwestern Railway services.

• London Northwestern Railway services operate between Liverpool and Birmingham, and on the West Coast mainline to and from London Euston.

• West Midlands Railway services operate to destinations across the West Midlands via Birmingham New Street.

For more information on these services visit westmidlandsrailway.co.uk or londonnorthwesternrailway.co.uk

The West Midlands Trains franchise started on 10 December 2017 and will run until 2025/26.

West Midlands Trains operates 1,300 services a day, manages 150 stations and provides over 70 million passenger journeys a year. Over the course of the franchise, West Midlands Trains will be investing £1 billion into the rail network to deliver new trains, improved routes and station upgrades. This will include 400 new train carriages across the network and space for an extra 85,000 passengers into Birmingham and London at peak times.

The franchise is a joint venture between Abellio (70.1% share) and East Japan Railway Company / Mitsui & Co., Ltd (29.9% share in a 50:50 split). Abellio is the international passenger transport subsidiary of the Dutch national railway company, Nederlandse Spoorwegen. In the UK, Abelllio operates ScotRail and Greater Anglia train services, Merseyrail services in a joint venture with Serco and buses through Abellio London. For more information visit www.abellio.com

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