A dedicated volunteer is hanging up his secateurs after 16 years of helping keep Attleborough's railway station beautiful.
A dedicated volunteer is hanging up his secateurs after 14 years of helping keep Attleborough's railway station beautiful.
Noel Shearing, 87, is retiring from his volunteer job of 'railway station adopter' - seeing to the upkeep of the station's grounds and gardens.
Mr Shearing said he cannot do quite as much as he used to, having been through two mini-strokes earlier this year, but he still plans to stay involved in the station's upkeep.
He said he had always enjoyed tending to the plants and flowers and making sure the station was looking its best.
Mr Shearing said: 'It has kept me busy and it's nice that people can see what you've done.
'I'll still go down there and let them know what needs to be done.'
Mr Shearing said he used to spend a couple of hours at the station every other day when the weather was good.
He said: 'I used to buy the seeds and grow the plants, and they would reimburse me for it.
'But once it was cleaned up there wasn't always a lot to do, just to keep it tidy.'
Before he moved to Attleborough 15 years ago, Mr Shearing lived in Whitlingham, and worked at Anglian Water's treatment works there from the age of 16 to 63.
Members of the Attleborough Heritage Group are taking up the role of railway station adopter.
Marie Youngs, committee member, said they were delighted about taking over the job Mr Sharing has carried out with passion for so long.
She said: 'I feel that adopting Attleborough train station is a splendid opportunity for the heritage group to connect further with the current and future community, and to say we play a part in looking after the area around our Grade II-listed railway facility is a bonus.'
The station was opened in 1845 as part of the original project to link Norwich to London by rail.
Miss Youngs said the station would become an even more important gateway to the Attleborough as thousands of new homes are planned to be built in the town over the next 20 years.
Do you know somebody who has done something brilliant for your community? Email stuart.anderson@archant.co.uk.You can also nominate them for a Stars of Norfolk and Award online at www.edp24.co.uk/home/stars
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