Greater Anglia is offering free space at Ely and Cambridge North rail stations for community use.

There are large rooms available free of charge at Ely and Cambridge North, big enough for events or exhibitions and Greater Anglia are urging the community to get in touch.

And Greater Anglia says some of their empty homes at stations such as Lakenheath are looking for more substantial investment and are available to lease.

And if it floats your boat – or tempts you to climb aboard – Greater Anglia would like to find someone interested in taking on its empty station at Shippea Hill, a previous winner of the ‘quietest’ station in Britain award.

The company says places like March station have led the way and been “reborn with a new purpose for a new era” and Greater Anglia wants to extend that approach across the network.

Reedham Station in Norfolk is already taking part in the scheme where they’ve turned an unused room into a museum.

Over in Lowestoft, a tourist information office has been created in a disused room.

Jonathan Denby, Greater Anglia’s head of corporate affairs, said: “We’re passionate about the positive role the railway plays in the region and we’re looking forward to strengthening that role by increasing the part our stations can play in supporting local communities.

“Our new community stations scheme will offer up existing space for community use at some stations. This is already happening at some of our stations and we are looking to extend that approach across the network.

“At 20 of our large stations we have short term, temporary exhibition space available free of charge for non-profit making organisations. “The size and nature of the spaces vary by location, stations include, Billericay, Bishop’s Stortford, Broxbourne, Cambridge, Cambridge North, Chelmsford, Clacton-on-Sea, Colchester, Ely, Great Yarmouth, Harlow, Hertford East, Hockley, Ipswich, Manningtree, Norwich, Rayleigh, Shenfield, Southend Victoria, Stowmarket and Wickford.

“We also have some small individual properties available to lease to companies on a not for profit basis.

“Most of these would need some remedial work doing to them, stations include, Acle, Attleborough, Cressing, Great Chesterford, Great Yarmouth, Harling Road, Harlow Mill, Lowestoft, Newport, Prittlewell, Roydon, Shippea Hill, St Margarets, Stowmarket, Walton-on-the-Naze, White Notley and Worstead.

“We have some large station houses needing more substantial investment, available on a lease basis. Stations include Bury St Edmunds, Lakenheath and Thetford.”

For more information or if you are interested in one of the spaces, visit: www.greateranglia.co.uk/about-us/community-space