The Willingdon Trees community centre and its members are expected to receive a funding boost from Network Rail. The rail company will be giving the community centre and its member £10,000 in funding for the centre. It is thought that the money will be used to give the community centre a ‘facelift’ and allow for a social club that will be able to offer free activities for the young people and the families that live in the surrounding area.

The work to the outside of the community centre is desperately needed and was given to Willingdon Trees because of a vote. There was a public vote in order to choose between three different schemes for Network Rail’s funding. This funding opportunity is a part of a pilot project that is being run by Network Rail in order to ensure the company is working closely with the neighbours and communities that are based alongside the railway.

Network Rail has recently had to close the level crossing at Willingdon Trees as there were concerns raised that is was being misused by the young people in the area. Therefore, Network Rail included the area in the vote for the funding. Now that they have won, The Willingdon Trees community centre will be able to support the local community as well as further reduce the safety risks caused by young people in the area by opening a place with free activities available for them.

The funding has allowed the community to carry out some much needed work at the community centre as well as allowing it to be a vital asset for the Willingdon community in order to offer activities for the both young people and families in the area.

Network Rail are working on upgrading British Railways as a part of their Railway Upgrade Plan. At the moment the railways around Britain are undergoing the largest sustained programme of works in order to upgrade the rail system since the Victorian era.