A volunteer run bookshop at Pitlochry railway station has raised more than half a million pounds for charity, marking a major milestone for one of Scotland’s most successful community railway projects.
The Pitlochry Station Bookshop has now donated £504,918 to charities since opening in 2006, with all proceeds coming from donated book sales run entirely by volunteers.
Operating through ScotRail’s Adopt a Station scheme, the bookshop supports a mixture of local, national and international charities.
Current beneficiaries include Cancer Research UK, Children’s Hospices Across Scotland, Highland Perthshire Shopmobility, Mercy Corps, Scotland’s Charity Air Ambulance and Tayside Mountain Rescue.
The project operates with no paid staff and very limited overheads after ScotRail provided the station premises rent free.
The bookshop originally opened following a local community effort to bring unused station space back into use.
Its early success later allowed the project to expand into larger premises within the station, helping increase the amount raised for charity over the years.
The achievement was formally recognised during a reception held at Fishers Hotel in Pitlochry on Friday 15 May.
Paul McKay, Communications Director at ScotRail, said:
“Reaching the £500,000 mark is a fantastic achievement for everyone involved with Pitlochry Station Bookshop.
“This is a brilliant example of what can be achieved through our Adopt a Station programme, where local volunteers bring real energy and creativity to their station while making a meaningful difference to communities.
“The dedication of the volunteers, and the continued support from customers donating and buying books, has helped create something truly special.
“ScotRail is proud to support initiatives like this, which make our stations more welcoming while delivering a positive impact far beyond the railway.”
Graham Holmes, Chairman of Pitlochry Station Bookshop, said:
“We are forever grateful to ScotRail for giving us the opportunity to raise funds for chosen charities.
“It’s been 20 years since they offered us what was then the station kiosk subsequently expanded into our current premises free of rent.
“It is thanks also to the dedication and hard work of our wonderful volunteers, and the loyalty of the local people who donate the books that we have been able to achieve this half million pounds of donations to our chosen charities.”
In an age where many community projects struggle for support and funding, the Pitlochry Station Bookshop has quietly become one of the Highlands’ most remarkable volunteer success stories, proving what local people can achieve when a community truly gets behind an idea.
