Black Prince with the Maggies Express headboard.(Photo: Steve Standbridge)  


Lisa Robinson of Maggies with Mayor of Cheltenham Lloyd Surgenor at Cheltenham Race Course. (Photo: Steve Standbridge)  


Mayor of Cheltenham Lloyd Surgenor draws the raffle winners at Toddington. (Photo: Steve Standbridge)  

On Saturday 15th August, over 60 visitors gathered at Cheltenham Race Course Station on the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway to support the charity Maggie's Cancer Caring Centres and in particular the 'Maggie's Cotswolds' centre, which will be built in the grounds of Cheltenham General Hospital, starting later this year.

David Shepherd's locomotive "Black Prince" was in charge of the 3pm train and carried the 'Maggie's Express' headboard, which was manufactured and donated to the charity last year by long-serving GWR volunteer Eddie Roberts from Alcester in Warwickshire.

The supporters, many who had not visited the GWR before, travelled in a reserved carriage and enjoyed tea and home-made cake on the return trip served up by on-train catering. A raffle in aid of Maggie's was drawn at Toddington Station by Mayor of Cheltenham Lloyd Surgenor, the lucky winners enjoying a selection of railway-related prizes or chocolates.

GWR & Maggie's volunteer Steve Standbridge recalls "Lloyd told me that he used to travel on the Honeybourne Line as a boy on his way to Cheltenham Grammar School and he obviously thoroughly enjoyed the afternoon. Maggie's is one of the Mayor's three chosen charities for 2009".

Lisa Robinson, Maggie's Community Fundraiser said "It was a great event, the Mayor enjoyed it too. We netted £500 which is an excellent result and I would like to thank everyone at the GWR who helped to make the day a success".