Nottinghamshire Openreach broadband engineer sets up model railway in his Ollerton garden raising money for charity

A railway enthusiast has been using his hobby to raise vital funds for good community causes.

Jonathan Roe, of Ollerton, works at a surveyor with Openreach, and has combined his passion for trains and his engineering know-how to create a miniature railway in his garden.

Making the most of his unique garden feature, Jonathan has hosted several charity events, and he said his efforts have already been rewarded after raising thousands for charities including over £500 for Bingham-based The Rosie May Foundation.

He said: "Neighbours think I’ve gone off the rails — but my garden railway has already raised thousands for charity.

“I’ve always enjoyed the railways, and during the pandemic, I decided to take my love of trains to the next level by building a miniature railway right here in my garden.

“What started off as a personal project quickly became something bigger, and I realised I could use it to raise money for local causes.”

Now, Jonathan’s hobby is featuring in a national campaign which promotes volunteering as way of encouraging others to get involved in their community.

It follows new research commissioned by Openreach, which revealed that 46% of people in the UK volunteer in their communities, and more than a third of them say they have gained valuable life skills as a result.

“Seeing the smiles on children’s faces, particularly those with autism who might not always get the chance to experience something like this, has been the most rewarding part of the project,” he said.

“A friend’s nephew, who loves trains, was one of the first visitors. His reaction was priceless, and it made me want to share the experience with more families.”

“I know it’s not your average garden project — but the feedback from the community has been incredible, and that keeps me going.”

Jonathan now plans to extend the railway even further, and continue to raise vital funds for worthy causes in his area.

Kasam Hussain, Openreach’s regional director said: “We couldn't be prouder to see all the incredible volunteering work taking place, including Jonathan’s miniature railway in Nottinghamshire.

“It’s great to see how he’s using his free time to raise money for such great causes.

“All Openreach’s teams can take up to three paid days off to give back to their communities or charities of choice, with thousands volunteering and fundraising both in and out of work time.”