Projects
Environmental Project; Sandown Station
Improvements to the disabled access
Within the bid for the environment project were plans to improve the front and rear of Sandown Station with landscaping and the planting up of drought resistant plants, improving the environment we live in whilst bringing positive change for future generations who use the railway, which in the past has suffered repeated vandalism.
1. Vandalism at the station and the first clear of the wall
Initially the plan was to have the Community Service Team come and do the majority of the work, in preparation for young people to come and plant up, at the front and on the old platform.
However this shifted in March 2007 with an incident of a young person from the school crossing the 750 volt electrified track and endangering his life to retrieve his football.
The British Transport Police wanted to prosecute as this was not the first time this young person had been caught trespassing. However the Rail Development Officer felt that if alternative options could be put in place for her to engage this young person and his contemporaries with projects at the station, it would have positive outcomes for all.
Therefore the project was delivered by Sandown High Schools Inclusion Unit who initially were not terribly enthusiastic, but got involved quite quickly after the first work shop of training with hand tools, which scarily involved training with ‘slashers!’ and was delivered by the Islands ‘Footprint Trust’ . They then worked hard in a hot July to clear the old platform of weeds, rubbish and a part vandalised wall, and then again in September to put in the top soil, webbing, and plants. This was all helped along again by The Footprint Trust, who helped with their planning and what type of drought resistant plants would be best for the area.
2. Initially unenthusiastic the team soon perked up with the training of hand tools, a scary moment for the Rail Development Officer as they involved ‘Slashers!’
To say the project was a success would be an understatement. It drew young people from socially challenged families and backgrounds to work together as a team on a project that was physically hard work but also needed their mental fortitude and commitment to see it through to the end.
3. July saw the team work hard on the clearing of the old Newport platform. (what a difference in body language!) Pictured with Dave Stocking the Inclusion Units Manager and Island Lines then General Manager Andy Naylor.
4. Moving 4.5 tonnes of top soil reminded RDO Bobby Lock of certain muscle groups that hand'nt been used for a while! Plants go in and the finished landscaped end of the disabled access.
Since the project started, and finished and has seen these young people take ownership of the station and surrounding area, there has been no vandalism, a first in Sandown’s history.
Rail Development Officer Bobby Lock then nominated the unit in for ACoRP’s (Association of Community Rail Partnerships) annual award “Including Young people” and they came first. The award was officially presented to them by MD of Southwest Trains, Stewart Palmer on the 4th December 2007 at the school.
5. Finished front, Bobby with her 'Boys' and Stewart Palmer presenting their award.