Lynda Cowan, Chair of the All Aboarders group, reflects on 2025:

When I look back at 2025, my first thought is how All Aboarders team has grown and supported one another as a team.
A number of our members have experienced illness or have had caring duties but in the end we all worked really well and the team has provided results to be proud of. Thanks especially to the AllAboarders Committee members who been very active during the year – arranging our gardening and community activities.

Early in the year All Aboarders received the accolade of a Gold Medal in the “It’s your Station” category from the national organisation, Community Rail, a membership body for over 75 Community Rail Partnerships and over 1,200 Station Adoption Groups. This meant that we had made a significant step up from our Silver Award in 2019, only a year after All Aboarders started restoring and enhancing the station.

In November we received an “Outstanding” award in the Royal Horticultural Society’s “It’s your Neighbourhood “scheme. This is the third successive year that we have reached this level.

We are grateful to
🌱 WGC Horticultural Society for their grant to install a lovely woodland garden.
🌱 Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council who provided a large number of summer bedding plants from their excess supply some of which are still flowering as I write this review.
🌱 Country Properties, Crane and Staples, Smart 10 and The WGC Rotary Club who have continued to sponsor our various troughs and beds.
🌱 GTR and the Facilities Team who have made sure that the raised beds are keep in good order and their subcontractors who have helped to keep the overgrown hedges and shrubs in check.
🌱 Karen Sherwin, Phil Docking and the station staff
🌱 Andrew Chillingsworth, our Community Engagement Officer

Thank you for your encouragement and support.

With all this backing, our gardeners have continued to do marvels at the station to keep all the beds and troughs looking so good throughout the year drawing praise from passengers and staff and indeed the wider community.

All Aboarders have been active in the community as well. At the Rotary Club Quiz in January our 2 teams took first and second place.
In July we took part in the first WGC Celebration Day organised by Together for WGC – an enjoyable day in the Howard Centre where we promoted All Aboarders to the wider community.

In December we received so many plants and bulbs from WHBC that we were able, in addition to the normal planting at the station, and with help from friends from Dellcott Close, to plant 280 polyanthus and a large quantity of bulbs in a previously unloved flower bed in Wigmores North. We are looking forward to seeing the results of our efforts in the New Year.

A team of All Aboarders crafters made a beautifully decorated Christmas Tree for the St Francis Church Christmas Tree Festival. The theme of the tree was “Countdown 100 ” to let everyone know that it is the station’s centenary in 2026.The tree has now been moved for the festive season to the Waiting Room on Platform 3/4 to be enjoyed there. The All Aboarders Committee have been working hard to plan or the Centenary of the station and there are some exciting
plans for 2026 beginning with a Centenary Makeover Day in March so watch this space!

Thank you everyone for your continuing support.
Lynda Cowan, Chair, All Aboarders