How many times have we heard someone say, “If everyone who loved the GCR just gave a couple of quid a month…”?
We’re pleased to say that we’re now giving people exactly that opportunity!
The Great Central Railway has launched a Patreon scheme – a straightforward way for those who care about the railway to offer a small amount of support each month and, in return, feel a little closer to what’s going on behind the scenes. Patreon is an online platform that allows people to support organisations they value through small, regular monthly contributions.
There will be a range of support options to choose from, with prices starting at less than a cup of coffee and allowing people to get involved at a level that suits them. To start with, we’re launching our Porter supporter tier – you can find out more and sign up to support here: https://www.patreon.com/c/GreatCentralRailway
For anyone not familiar, Patreon is an online platform that allows supporters to sign up to make regular monthly contributions. In return, you receive exclusive content, behind-the-scenes access and recognition for your support. It’s used by many other heritage organisations to great effect and for the GCR, it offers something increasingly important: a reliable, year-round donation stream that highlights the hard work done by volunteers around the railway and gives something back to ensure our supporters know that their contribution is recognised and appreciated.
One of our key objectives is to grow public interest in GCR’s operations, history and engineering while building a loyal digital community which we hope will also lead to volunteer recruitment and increased engagement and understanding of some of our bigger projects such as Reunification.
Many of you already follow us online, watch our videos and keep up with developments from afar. Some of you cannot visit as often as you would like yet still want to feel involved. Patreon allows you to become active participants in the railway’s story and allows us to harness global support.
Supporters receive benefits such as early access to new videos, behind-the-scenes features, Q&A sessions and exclusive updates; it’s a two-way relationship: we share more of the inner workings of the railway, and in return supporters help sustain it. Over time, this consistent engagement will also help us document the everyday goings-on at the railway, supporting our archiving aims as well.
Importantly, this is not simply about fundraising. It is about building a stronger connection with those who value what we do. Patreon keeps supporters informed about future projects and fundraising initiatives, encourages long-term commitment, and turns online followers into ambassadors for the railway.
Follow the link to find out what it’s all about – we’re adding more exclusive content all the time. https://www.patreon.com/c/GreatCentralRailway
Thanks for your support.
The GCR team
