New sensory garden created at Welwyn Garden City thanks to green-fingered volunteers

Customers travelling through Welwyn Garden City train station will enjoy a new splash of colour after a group of volunteers rolled up their sleeves to create a sensory garden just in time for spring.

Around 20 green-fingered volunteers from the All Aboarders Welwyn Garden City Station Adoption Group spent hours weeding, digging and planting to bring the sensory garden to life, which will help improve the look and feel of the station.

The new garden, located on platforms 1 and 2, features plants that can be enjoyed by the five different senses - sight, smell, sound, taste and touch - making them accessible to customers with different needs.

The garden will help to encourage biodiversity in the area and is one of many projects that supports nature across the GTR network, which has recently seen bee hotels and bird boxes fitted at six stations.

Karen Sherwin, Station Manager at Welwyn Garden City, said: “It was fantastic to involve the local community in this project and the sensory garden is now available for our customers to enjoy just in time for spring. We hope it will help passengers connect with nature as they travel across our network.”

The All Aboarders were supported by GTR, Siemens Mobility and Network Rail colleagues on 13 March. Siemens donated £2,841 to fund the freshly planted sensory garden, five new troughs and display three new heritage posters across the station.

Kayleigh Pomfret, Environment and Sustainability Advisor for Siemens Mobility, said: “This was a great initiative to be a part of, from being involved at the very start and seeing it delivered on the day. The project will help to make the railway a great experience for its passengers and its community, as well as highlighting the local rail heritage.”

The All Aboarders were also presented with a £200 cheque from the Welwyn Garden City Rotary Club to help freshen up some of the flower beds.

Chair of the All Aboarders, Lynda Cowan, said: “We’re thrilled to be able to launch this new sensory garden at Welwyn Garden City, because plants are beneficial for people’s mental health and wellbeing, so we hope passengers can enjoy this beautiful garden for years to come.”

ENDS

Notes to editors

• The All Aboarders was established in 2018. The group aims to add new flower beds and planters, while maintaining the existing shrubs at Welwyn Garden City train station.
• To find out more about the All Aboarders, visit All Aboarders – WGC Station Adoption Group.