Posted on Thursday 15th August 2019
Top row: Vicky Cropper, London Northwestern Railway; Gerwyn Cooper, Tamworth Samaritans; Vickey Rowley, Staffordshire County Council; Bottom row: Richard Godwin, Network Rail; Helen Wilson, Midlands Partnership Foundation Trust.
Artwork and photographs with positive messages of wellbeing have gone on display at Tamworth Railway 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.
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 and Cabinet Member for Health, Care and Wellbeing at 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.”
Vicky Cropper, head of community Engagement 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.”
Richard Godwin, joint suicide prevention co-ordinator for Network Rail’s North West and Central Region and West Midlands Trains, 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.”