South East Lancs CRP came together with partners Bolton Station Community Partnership and Northern to host a Summer Fair at Bolton Station on Platforms 4/5, taking place 11am-3pm on Saturday 9 August 2025.
The fair was an opportunity to celebrate community rail and share information with the public, along with a range of stalls such as arts and crafts, bric-a-brac, books and a tombola.
Stallholders came from across the local community, including ‘The Budding Florist’ Ange Tibke, Justicia (Fair Trade, with a shop in Bolton since 1985), Friends of Hindley Station, City of Sanctuary Bolton, and Richard Hall Artist. South East Lancs CRP provided the bric-a-brac and book stalls.
The fair demonstrated the strong connections between community and station, whilst also enjoying a positive reception from the passing public. Friends of Hindley Station showcased the fantastic volunteer efforts at their station and its award-winning gardens, with handmade wax melts incorporating flowers grown there proving very popular.
Sheila Davidson said, “Karen and I really enjoyed having a stall on behalf of Friends of Hindley Station. It gave us an opportunity to share the work we do in our community with the people we chatted to. Our rose petal and rhubarb wax melts made by Thrive CIC were very popular, as are our lavender and camomile, which are due again soon. The rose petals and lavender are all grown and harvested on Hindley Station.”
The presence on Platforms 4/5 led to a range of positive interactions and conversations, with numerous members of the public commenting that they enjoyed seeing a fair at station that connected to the local area. Following on from the Summer Fair’s success, SELCRP is also planning a Winter event which will be announced in due course.
