The Friends of Handforth Station (FoHS) have installed their latest artwork: a large decorative brushed-steel screen, which commemorates the first 25 years’ work of this local volunteer group.
The new artwork portrays Handforth Train Station as “a welcoming place: a gateway to Handforth and to the world”. Designed by FoHS’s Lead Artist Paul Pickford, it illustrates a horticultural archway celebrated by two children and surrounded by local wildlife.
With financial support from Community Rail Network and Community and Voluntary Services (CVS), the new screen was designed following workshops with local people, which Paul ran to gather ideas and concepts. Many of the images in the work reflect designs and works already part of Handforth Station’s “A Platform for Art”, including “Light At the End of the Tunnel” and carved railway sleepers.
Under Access For All, Network Rail are planning to install lifts at Handforth Station. Survey work and boreholes have been completed for these, and design works are due to start soon. FoHS are planning substantial enhancements to the associated infrastructure works, working closely with Network Rail to ensure that decorative enhancements are part of the designs.
Paul Pickford said, “It was great to see the screen in place. I will be running some more community art workshops, to generate and collect further imagery which we can apply to decorating and humanising the planned lifts and other areas of the station.”
Aoife Middlemass of CVS added, “It’s wonderful to see what groups such as Friends of Handforth Station are doing within their local community, providing opportunities for mental and physical wellbeing in public spaces. I am privileged to support them in my role as a Development Officer at CVS.”
The new artwork can be seen on the west side of Handforth Station concourse, easily visible to people coming into Handforth from Dean Row along Station Road.
