Cumbria County Council’s Community Rail team has scooped a first place award at the national Association of Community Rail Partnerships (ACoRP) awards for their work on the Rail Journey to Recovery – Broken Lives Mended initiative.
Representatives from the Cumbrian Coast Line Community Rail Partnership (CCL CRP) were delighted to be awarded First Place in the ‘Involving Diverse Groups’ category. The annual ceremony, hosted in Telford, showcases a wide array of community based railway initiatives which make a vital contribution to social inclusion and community development.
The Rail Journey To Recovery- Broken Lives Mended 2019 from Adamedia on Vimeo.
The first place award was for the team’s project, ‘Broken Lives Mended’ – a video production which captures the essence of why individuals become dependent on alcohol and substances and how integrating rail-based activity within structured programmes of rehabilitation continues to help so many people.
The project, a joint initiative between the Cumbrian Coast Line CRP and the national charity Turning Point is based at Stanfield House in Workington and has taken three years to evolve and nurture.
The Rail Journey To Recovery – 2017 Film (Turning Point & Community Rail Cumbria) from Adamedia on Vimeo.
Thanks to financial support and resources from Northern Rail and Direct Rail Services Ltd, Broken Lives Mended accurately portrays the strength and courage of those involved in the difficult process of rehabilitation with integrity and sensitivity. The emotive video, accompanied by an inspiring brochure, illustrates the personal journey recovering addicts go through in their battle for a substance-free future and demonstrates unequivocally the critical role that the Cumbrian Coast railway plays in supporting individuals.
Cllr Keith Little, Cumbria County Council’s Cabinet Member for Transport, said: “I am delighted that the community rail team’s efforts have been recognised with this first place award. This project has been three years in the making and is a fantastic insight in to the personal journeys of individuals recovering from addiction and substance misuse issues. Rail plays a vital role in connecting communities, and developing social inclusion and cohesion. I’d like to say a huge well done to everyone involved in the award, and to the individuals who took part in the project for their bravery and strength in coming forward to tell their stories.”
