Market Rasen Station Community Project CIC is a community group initiative that was formed to renovate the town’s former railway station for community and business use.
Location: North Hykeham, Lincolnshire
For a century, the railway station was a busy and thriving space but from the 1960s, passenger facilities were withdrawn and the building’s fortunes declined. A community group was formed with purpose of restoring the building alongside construction company, Lindum. A bid to the Heritage Lottery Fund was successful in 2015 and, after much painstaking work, this wonderful building was reopened by HRH The Princess Royal in 2018, at a celebratory event attended by local school children and everyone involved in the project.
The community group and Lindum have restored the Grade II listed railway station building, which now includes a Heritage Centre with display areas, a café, a community room, and offices. The space also displays information about the station’s history, its decline and restoration, as well as the stories of the people who lived and worked there from years gone by.
Lindum’s Property Manager was seconded to work on the project, and the capital renovation works were carried out by Lindum as main contractor. Additionally, numerous Lindum staff worked on a voluntary basis and added significant value to the project. Many staff supported activities such as hard hat tours and open days, and office-based staff provided legal, planning, financial, property and administrative expertise.
The partnership between the community group and Lindum has ensured that the station is a thriving space for the local community to use and enjoy.
Emma Wardell, Market Rasen Station Community Project CIC Chair, said:
It’s wonderful to be a finalist for one of Groundwork’s Community Awards and to have our partnership with Lindum Group recognised. They worked so hard with us and our volunteers to make the project a success. Lindum really went the extra mile, both in the construction but also in delivering heritage activities. The result is a beautifully restored station building, now a Business Centre and Heritage Rooms.
