Friends of Glossop Station - Blog

Glossopdale Community Champions Awards Evening

4/10/2026

IT WAS A REAL PRIVILEGE to attend the Glossopdale Community Champions Awards evening at Glossopdale High School on 3 October. FoGS as a shortlisted finalist in the Outstanding Group of the Year category, was able to witness first hand the amazing work done by a wide range of volunteer groups in Glossop. Bringing everyone together was a tremendous feat of organisation!
Adam Corbally was a popular, humorous and kindly host for the evening. Along with guests for each category highly commended and winners were announced in eleven different categories. At the end there were also four special additional awards. With music, food at the interval there was a chance to visit information stands provided by some groups.
The evening showcased the range of volunteering in Glossop - environmental, people care, mental health and wellness, culture and leisure. It was inspiring to be made aware of all that goes on in Glossop!
Congratulations to all the winners and huge thanks from FoGS to Jo Gregory and team for a very special evening!

Closing the book on the Year of Reading 2026

27/9/2026

THE FINAL DISPLAY of our Poetry Platform for 2026 has launched with a special in conjunction with Glossop Bookfest. For this edition we asked Bookfest to invite local writers to submit new works bringing to a close The 2026 National Year of Reading. The campaign, biggest in a generation, was designed to help more people (re)discover the joy of reading and make it part of their everyday lives.

A Department for Education initiative in collaboration with the National Literacy Trust aimed to address a decline in reading enjoyment and reconnect people of all ages with reading as a relevant and rewarding activity. Under the banner of Go All In, people were invited to unlock their passions and interests - whatever they may be - through the written word, involving everyone from all corners of the community.
A recent survey of national booksellers suggests the campaign has achieved some success given that bookshops report their best sales for a number of years. It also reveals that younger generations may be turning away from their screens and back to the printed page.
Take your own moment to read with the latest, new poems penned by the local Glossop literary community before you board your train.

Outstanding Group of the Year nomination for FoGS

24/8/2026

OUR GRATEFUL THANKS to Councillor Jean Wharmby who nominated Friends of Glossop Station into the Outstanding Group of the Year category of the Glossopdale Community Champions awards for which we have made the final.
The awards for the final winners will be announced in October at the ceremony at Glossopdale School.

Bumblebee Safari 2026

31/7/2026

The Railway Children at Strines

23/7/2026

ALTHOUGH the film of The Railway Children is associated with the Keighley and Worth Valley Railway, EM Nesbit's book was actually set in and around Strines near Marple. Extensive local research has been carried out to identify buildings that were the inspiration behind this much loved story. Pictures of these locations can be viewed at Strines Station.

This Saturday, 25th July, and in celebration of the link to Strines, Charter Outdoor Theatre are putting on a FREE production of a new adaptation of The Railway Children at Strines Pavilion at 3.00 pm. Running time 1 hour 20 plus interval time. Suitable for children aged 7+.

As the production will take place outdoors please check weather forecasts carefully. The event is hosted by South East Manchester Community Rail Partnership.

A busy Teddy Bears Picnic!!

21/6/2026

ON SATURDAY 20th June Friends of Glossop, Hadfield and Guide Bridge stations held their annual Teddy Bears Picnic event. Over 120 people, children and teddies travelled for FREE between the three stations courtesy of Northern trains.
The weather was ideal and the new Signal Garden at Guide Bridge proved a big hit as a place to enjoy and have a picnic!
We were very grateful for all the drinks and biscuits generously donated by Mike at TWIG cafe Glossop Station. Drivers and conductors joined in the fun with one conductor announcing over the train tannoy, "everyone with teddies give a big cheer!" The Hunt the Teddy Bear competition produced a record entry - winners will be contacted. Our thanks to Paul Marsh for his attractively designed posters and World Cup themed competitions.
We would like to thank Becky Styles, Theo MacLauchlan, Sarah Morgan and Helen Doyle at Northern Trains for all their support of this event. And of course big thanks for every teddy and family who came along to join in the fun!!

IS YOUR TEDDY READY!?

15/6/2026

IF YOU'RE INTO IT - READ INTO IT - GO ALL IN FOR POETRY

14/6/2026

OUR LATEST POETRY PLATFORM has launched and is a special edition with submissions chosen by local community businesses and organisations. They were invited to select their favourite poems to feature on the display and is a compilation which includes the verses and quotes inspired by to acknowledge The National Year of Reading 2026.
The campaign - the biggest campaign in a generation designed to help more people (re)discover the joy of reading and make it part of their everyday lives - is a Department for Education initiative in collaboration with the National Literacy Trust. It aims to address the UK decline in reading enjoyment and reconnect people of all ages with reading as a relevant and rewarding activity. Reading expands worlds and sharpens minds, yet fewer people are making time to read. It has asked the nation to Go All In on their passions and interests, be that music, football, baking, family-time, sci-fi, or … anything! Discover how reading can unlock those things you already love.
To accompany the display there is also a free booklet which has all the submitted poems and quotes which is available in the station waiting room and from each of the local business and organisations who participated in this special Poetry Platform: Glossop Library (Talbot Street); Glossop Community Bookshop (George Street); Dark Peak Books (High Street West); Oxfam (Henry Street) and Kin.Der Prints Studio and Gift Shop (Arundel Street).

Lowestoft Evacuee Reunion

12/6/2026

ON SATURDAY 6th June in the restored parcels office at Lowestoft Station former wartime evacuees were welcomed to their annual reunion.
These evacuees included those who had made the journey to Glossop as part of a 600 child evacuation on 2nd June 1940. It was a pleasure to welcome them back. All former evacuees are now in their early 90s. Around thirty six people attended which included family and friends of the evacuees. New guests included several people who had made contact with us following recent television and newspaper features. A complimentary afternoon tea was provided. Special guest at the event was Martin Impey artist and writer who was the interviewer in the recent BBC ONE SHOW feature film. Martin was able to catch up with some of the evacuees he had met during the filming in February and meet some new faces too! Neil Williams from Friends of Glossop Station also attended and gave the audience some news and updates about Glossop.
It was a lovely happy occasion which lasted around three hours. Special thanks must go to Martin Halliday from the Wherry Lines Community Rail Partnership and Jacqui from the Lowestoft Central Project for all their hard work in organising the event and food.

Lowestoft Evacuee Reunion Lowestoft Station 6th June

30/5/2026

The 2026 Lowestoft Evacuee reunion takes place in the restored Parcels Office at Lowestoft Railway Station on Saturday 6th June at 12 noon. Everyone welcome! The event is free and refreshments will be provided.
This event marks the 86th anniversary of child evacuees leaving Lowestoft for new homes in Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire during the Second World War.
Six hundred child evacuees came to Glossop on June 2nd 1940. It is a real honour to celebrate their stories again in Lowestoft.
In the last twelve months this important story has featured in the Daily Mirror, Channel 4 and, most recently, on the BBC ONE SHOW on 22nd April (unfortunately the programme is no longer available on BBC iPlayer)
Special guest at the event will be MARTIN IMPEY (left) writer and illustrator. Martin was the interviewer on the recent One Show and his evocative paintings of scenes involving the evacuees in Glossop have received widespread praise.
If you are able to do so come and join us, or if your friends are in the area please let them know!