George shows why station is the cat's whiskers
A railway station has been declared the cat's whiskers after making the shortlist of a prestigious award – with the help of a feline friend.
George the cat has helped Stourbridge Junction station make the shortlist for the 'World Cup of Stations' award, an annual celebration of railway station across the UK.
George, who has become something of a local celebrity since being adopted as the station cat in December 2017, has been praised for his role in promoting public safety through his online presence.
The focus for this year's awards is on smaller stations have gone beyond the call of duty to support their communities during the coronavirus crisis.
Staff at Stourbridge Junction were praised for their work installing new signs and educating passengers to ensure they could travel safely and comfortably amid the pandemic.
But special recognition went to the role of George, who has nearly 10,000 followers on Facebook and Twitter, for his role in helping to spread the latest railway safety messages using through social media.
Providing some much-needed light-hearted relief, George has been praised by passengers for making them smile every day in these troubling times.
Station manager Simone Carter said: “George first found his way into the station back in December 2017 and he’s been the star of the show ever since.
“As well as helping us out in the booking office most days, George has been a fantastic addition to our team who work tirelessly to provide exceptional customer service to our passengers.
“I’m so proud of the team, and our wonderful ambassador George, for their hard work and determination, particularly over these last difficult six months.”
The World Cup of Stations is organised by the Rail Delivery Group, which represents train operating companies across the country.
A public vote on Twitter to select which stations will make it to the semi-finals. Voting closes at 6pm on Wednesday after which winning stations will compete in a semi-finals and final before a winner is crowned.
Members of the public can vote for their favourite station from today on the Rail Delivery Group’s Twitter account, @RailDeliveryGrp, or by following the hashtag #WorldCupOfStations.
