Leighton Buzzard care home raises £1000 for Narrow Gauge Railway Steam Engine

Residents at a Leighton Buzzard care home have raised £1,000 to help restore a much-loved local steam engine, supporting efforts to return a cherished piece of the town’s railway heritage to the tracks.

Leighton Rose care home, part of the Macc Care group, presented the donation to volunteers from the Leighton Buzzard Narrow Gauge Railway to support the restoration of PC Allen, one of the railway’s historic steam locomotives.

The fundraising effort began after railway volunteers visited the home and were given a tour of its on-site pub, The Narrow Gauge Tavern, which is named in honour of the town’s famous narrow gauge railway. During the visit, they shared details of their mission to restore PC Allen, a project expected to cost around £30,000.

Inspired by the story, residents immediately began organising a lucky squares raffle, sweet sale, pyjama day and bingo night to raise money for the project.

Their efforts raised £500, which was then matched pound-for-pound by Macc Care, taking the total donation to £1,000. Bhav Amlani, Director of Macc Care, said: “We’re delighted to support the restoration of PC Allen with this donation. The railway is such an important part of Leighton Buzzard’s history, and this project has really captured the imagination of our residents. It’s been wonderful to see everyone come together to support a cause that means so much to the local community.”

Jon Preston, part of the railway team, said: “We’re incredibly grateful for Leighton Rose’s efforts and for working hard with fundraising ideas to raise such an incredible amount. This will go a long way towards the restoration of PC Allen. Thank you!”

The Leighton Buzzard Narrow Gauge Railway continues to raise funds to complete the restoration and return PC Allen to service. If you’d like to support their efforts, you can donate to their JustGiving page.

Leighton Rose provides residential, nursing, dementia, bariatric and respite care for up to 71 residents in Leighton Buzzard. The luxury home features a café, cinema, gym, hair salon and its distinctive on-site pub, The Narrow Gauge Tavern.

To learn more about the home, visit macccare.com.