Local Samba band celebrates railway plaque award

Tuesday, 25 June 2019

Local Samba performers have been celebrating their recognition as local community heroes.

North Worcestershire based Someone at the Door Samba Band (SATD) have been showing off their Cross City Heroes plaque, as they celebrate their award for contributions to the local area.

The group has been chosen as one of 24 community organisations to receive a plaque of recognition at railway stations on the popular Cross City Line between Redditch / Bromsgrove, Birmingham and Lichfield. The plaque will be on permanent display at Alvechurch railway station from this week.

Someone at the Door Samba band regularly play at various events across Bromsgrove, Redditch, Birmingham and further afield. Band members range from teenagers to active seniors who all enjoy playing samba grooves at carnivals, festivals and other events.

The band loves to perform in support of events organised by Cureleukaemia, Marie Curie, Injured Firefighters Charity and other worthy causes. Most recently, the band played in Brindley Place on Saturday 15 June at the Dragon Boat final and festival, where several thousand pounds were raised to support Cureleukaemia charity.

Band member Sean Shannon, said: “Someone at the Door is absolutely delighted to have been selected as a one of West Midland Railway’s ‘Cross City Heroes’. We love samba and it’s even better when we are helping a worthy cause raise some funds!”

Fay Easton, head of stakeholder and community for West Midlands Railway, said: “Someone at the Door Samba Band were nominated for their charity work and the joy they have brought to local communities through their performances, so it is a pleasure to be able to recognise the group with a plaque at Alvechurch station as part of our Cross City Heroes competition. As the Cross City Line passes through many of the communities where the band have plays, and is a key part of connecting communities across North Worcestershire, Birmingham and South Staffordshire, for both work and leisure.”

Nominations for Cross City Heroes winners were put forward by passengers, residents and railway staff as part of a competition to celebrate 40 years of services on the Cross City Line. Examples of various influential local clubs, charities and other community groups were received as part of this process. These nominations were then judged by representatives from West Midlands Railway and West Midlands Rail Executive to form the final list of 24 winners.

For the list of winning Cross City Heroes groups visit https://bit.ly/2WuPPcb

ENDS

About West Midlands Trains

For further information on this release, call our press office on 03300 955150 or email [email protected]

West Midlands Trains operates both West Midlands Railway and London Northwestern Railway services.

• London Northwestern Railway services operate between Liverpool and Birmingham, and on the West Coast mainline to and from London Euston.

• West Midlands Railway services operate to destinations across the West Midlands via Birmingham New Street.

For more information on these services visit westmidlandsrailway.co.uk or londonnorthwesternrailway.co.uk

The West Midlands Trains franchise started on 10 December 2017 and will run until 2025/26.

West Midlands Trains operates 1,300 services a day, manages 150 stations and provides over 70 million passenger journeys a year. Over the course of the franchise, West Midlands Trains will be investing £1 billion into the rail network to deliver new trains, improved routes and station upgrades. This will include 400 new train carriages across the network and space for an extra 85,000 passengers into Birmingham and London at peak times.

The franchise is a joint venture between Abellio (70.1% share) and East Japan Railway Company / Mitsui & Co., Ltd (29.9% share in a 50:50 split). Abellio is the international passenger transport subsidiary of the Dutch national railway company, Nederlandse Spoorwegen. In the UK, Abelllio operates ScotRail and Greater Anglia train services, Merseyrail services in a joint venture with Serco and buses through Abellio London. For more information visit www.abellio.com

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