As part of our commitment to significantly enhance engagement and support for the Community Rail sector, Avanti will be working with all 21 of the Community Rail Partnerships on the West Coast Network.

As the Community Manager for Avanti West Coast, Jo Buckley will work with our team of seven Regional Growth Managers to administer brand new Core Funding for every CRP on the route, and open up opportunities for them to bid for money from our new Station Community Fund and our Community Rail Project for local projects.

Many of the CRPs have already established local relationships with their Station Manager and Community Champion, but for those that haven’t and would like to, please do get in touch with JoJo on Joanna.Buckley@avantiwestcoast.co.uk and she will happily arrange introductions.

Outside of work JoJo is engaged to Andrew and mum to their son Alf.  She lives in a rural village where there is a real sense of community, and following a call to action she signed up to be a Community Volunteer in response to COVID-19 - a role which she is very proud to do.

JoJo and the team look forward to building on the success of our inaugural CRP Conference, held via Zoom on 2 June. Despite circumstances, 16 of the 21 CRPs managed to participate and feedback was overwhelmingly positive. Whilst the current situation has applied a significant brake to many community activities, some CRPs have continued to develop and offer creative and educational programmes.  Community Rail Lancashire, for example, shared details of their cutting edge ‘Engagement During Lockdown’ initiative, designed to engage and educate those stuck at home  - especially children - by using online resources and social media to develop education and information programmes.