Virgin Trains’ staff at Stockport station are staging a Family Fun Day on Sunday 17 July from 10:00 until 16:00 to raise funds for children and young people’s cancer charity CLIC Sargent. Admission is free. The event will take place in the Conference Room on Platform 3 at the town’s station.

Model railway displays, provided by the Manchester Loco Society and the Romiley Methodist Railway Modellers will be operating, whilst one of Virgin Trains’ Class 57 diesel locomotives will be on display in Platform 3A and will be available for photographs. Visitors’ to the station will also be able to have a look around the drivers’ cab. There will also be a sales stand with railway books and DVDs and a raffle with train tickets and train models on offer.

A special ‘sealed bid’ auction will offer the opportunity to spend 30 minutes with the station announcer and make a train announcement.

The Mayor of Stockport Councillor Les Jones and the Mayoress Mrs Jackie Jones will visit the station at 12:00 and will be shown around the special displays and the station facilities by Virgin Trains’ Group Station Manager for the North West Sam Dixon.

CLIC Sargent is the official charity of Virgin Trains. Since 2009 the partnership has raised more than £280,000 and will continue until 2012. All the money raised from the Stockport Fun Day will help CLIC Sargent to Support families affected by childhood cancer across the UK. Virgin Trains staff at Stockport station have already raised almost £700 and have set themselves a target of raising £2,000.

“The Station Fun Day came from an idea from Niki Abnett, who works as a Customer Services Assistant on the platforms as a way of the local station team supporting CLIC Sargent, and has the full support of the local management team. It enables Virgin Trains to be seen as a part of the local community and not just a train operator”, said Lesley Ross, Virgin Trains’ Station Manager at Stockport.