Penrith train station’s charity bookshelf has passed the £8,000 milestone in funds raised for the town’s mountain rescue team.
Located in the booking hall, the bookshelf was established in 2015 and offers rail customers looking for a read on their journey a selection of used books in exchange for a small donation. As a token of their appreciation for hosting this valuable fundraiser, the team presented staff at the station with a carved wooden plaque.
Mark Green, Avanti West Coast station manager at Penrith, said: “We’re proud to support Penrith Mountain Rescue Team, who are an integral part of the local community – looking out for the thousands of visitors who explore this beautiful part of the world.
“The charity bookshelf has helped to raise vital funds and just goes to show that a small donation can make a big difference.
“We would like to thank our customers and the community for joining us to show our appreciation for the great work the team do every day of the year.”
Laura Nightingale of the team’s Friends group, initiated the bookshelf. She said: “There are so many people involved in making this happen — everyone who donates books, the staff who ensure that it is well-stocked and keep an eye on the donations box and, of course, everyone who goes through the station and uses it.”
Peter King, leader of Penrith Mountain Rescue Team, said: “Penrith Mountain Rescue Team is incredibly grateful for the support of the staff at the station in making this such a successful, long running fundraiser for us.
“It’s a win-win — passengers choose a good read, and their donations help us to continue to serve whoever gets into difficulty in our patch, whatever the time of day, and whatever the conditions.”
Donations of paperback fiction for the bookshelf can be handed to station staff at the information desk in the booking hall.
