On Thursday 26 March Community Rail Officer Emily Oldfield attended the CrossCountry Community Rail Conference 2026, hosted at the National Railway Museum in York.
It was a highly informative day, exploring CrossCountry’s community as well as customer focus, values and aspirations. It opened with an update from Shiona Rolfe, CrossCountry’s Managing Director. This was followed by a focus on sustainability from Jess Lockwood, then a consideration of Connected Journeys from the Stakeholder Team.
Other features of the day included a section on ‘Reflections and Opportunities for the Future of Community Rail’ from Jeremy Whitaker (Chair of Community Rail Network), a project showcase from a range of community partnerships and a marketing update. The lunchtime segment was a valuable opportunity to network and connect with other Community Rail Officers.
The National Railway Museum seemed a fitting location for the day, with attendees encouraged to explore the museum afterwards. Emily found it an interesting and engaging conference, as well as a great opportunity to learn about different community projects from across the country.
