THREE awards went to National Express East Anglia and its community rail partners at the Community Rail Awards 2008 held last month in Plymouth.

Best Station Ticket Office and Retail Outlet prize went to Wymondham station for its recent new ticket office and development of the atmospheric Brief Encounter café, and Best Station Garden to Sudbury, celebrating the work of station adopter Darren Johnson, John Sayers and his team from Sudbury in Bloom and Community Rail Partnership officer Bryan Harker.

The Outstanding Volunteer Contribution award went to Janet Cloke for her station environment improvement at Althorne on the Crouch Valley line between Wickford and Southminster.

Also, second places were achieved in the Passengers Matter category for rural station staffing at North Walsham, Wymondham, Brundall and Attleborough, Most Enhanced Community Station for Woodbridge, and in the Best Marketing Publication section for the East Suffolk Lines Walk Guide.

Third places were achieved in the Local Transport Integration category for the stopping of Sunday trains at stations close to RSPB reserves such as Buckenham and Lakenheath, and in the Best Marketing Publication section for the Explore the Yare Valley on Sundays leaflet.