Greater Anglia is set to fund a series of nature-themed installations at Thetford and Lakenheath rail stations.

The £4,500 of funding, from the operator’s Customer and Community Improvement Fund, will be used to install a set of wildlife interpretation panels to help station users identify species found in the station gardens. The panels will also highlight the proximity of the RSPB Lakenheath-Fen nature reserve, encouraging people to visit by rail.

Greater Anglia said volunteer station adopters had already created flourishing wildlife gardens alongside the platforms, attracting insects, birds and other species throughout the year.

The new interpretation boards will allow them to showcase their efforts more widely, helping passengers of all ages learn about biodiversity.

At Thetford and Lakenheath, the project includes two themed installations:

• ‘Trains, Cranes; No Automobiles’

Panels and posters promoting sustainable travel links with RSPB Lakenheath-Fen, encouraging passengers to visit the reserve by rail. Two panels at Thetford will feature images of Thetford’s landmarks captured by local photographers.

• ‘Entomologists in Waiting’

A collection of insect identification charts to be displayed in the waiting room on platform 2 at Thetford, giving the space a gentle transformation into an ‘Entomology Department’ and inspiring budding naturalists to observe the wildlife in the station garden.

Greater Anglia’s Partnerships Manager, Scott Dolling, said: “We are pleased to support this initiative, which helps to highlight rail’s environmental credentials and the excellent work of the station adopters in creating an oasis for wildlife at both stations.

“We are always looking to enhance the role of the railway in support of the community it serves, and our Customer and Community Improvement Fund is a way of supporting further locally focused enhancements in line with community needs.”

Greater Anglia said its Customer and Community Improvement Fund was designed to support local, community-focused rail improvements across its network.

The scheme is aimed at supporting initiatives that deliver community benefits and enhance rail’s positive role in society. Proposed ideas can be put forward by local organisations or bodies, such as community rail partnerships, station adopters, local authorities or parish councils, community groups, charities, or other stakeholders along the routes served by the train operator.