The East Lancashire Railway (ELR) has received a community hero award at the Roch Valley Radio Community Hero Awards, which celebrate individuals and organisations making a positive impact through volunteering and community support. The heritage railway was recognised for its decades of service and the efforts of its volunteer team, and a group of volunteers representing various departments across the railway attended the ceremony in person. The railway operates heritage trains through the Irwell Valley and creates opportunities for thousands of visitors each year, making it one of the region's best-loved community attractions.

Mike Kelly, chairman of the East Lancashire Railway, said it was an honour to receive the award and described the recognition as incredibly humbling, the Bury Times reports. He said he was extremely proud to accept the award on behalf of the railway and, most importantly, on behalf of the hundreds of volunteers who give their time, skills and enthusiasm so generously to keep it running. Kelly, who described himself as a fellow volunteer who knows first-hand the commitment and passion volunteers bring to organisations across communities, also thanked Roch Radio for highlighting the invaluable work carried out every day by volunteers across so many local charities and organisations.

The award underscores the stakes behind the railway's volunteer effort: keeping a heritage line alive across the Irwell Valley for generations still to come. Henderson's framing of the team as custodians preserving the railway for future volunteers and visitors captures the sense that this is a relay being passed on, with today's 800-plus volunteers following in the footsteps of those who revived the line decades ago. By honouring the railway at a ceremony celebrating volunteering and community support, Roch Valley Radio has drawn attention to the broader ecosystem of local charities and organisations that rely on unpaid dedication.