BCIMO Family Day: Meet More of the Silver Sponsors That Helped Bring the Event to Life

Celebrating security, storytelling, creativity and community with five more fantastic Silver Sponsors: K2 Security, Black Country Radio, Village Voice Magazine, Dudley College of Technology, and Stourbridge Lion 2029.

As we begin to unwind and reflect on the success of BCIMO Family Day, we’re continuing to highlight the amazing partners who helped bring the event to life. From media and security to student innovation and heritage, these Silver Sponsors each brought something unique and valuable to the day.

We’re hugely grateful for their support – here’s how they got involved:

K2 SECURITY

K2 Security is a trusted provider of professional security services, recognised for their reliability, discretion, and people-first approach. With experience across corporate, public, and event settings, they deliver tailored solutions that prioritise safety and reassurance.

At BCIMO, K2 is a valued and long-standing partner, supporting our site security and playing a key role in maintaining safe access and day-to-day operational safety.

For Family Day, they provided two experienced security guards to support event delivery, manage visitor flow, and help ensure a smooth, enjoyable, and safe experience for everyone.

We were proud to have their continued support.

Nathan Marshall, Operations Manager, said:

“It has been a true pleasure supplying security personnel to BCIMO. Being part of the building process and witnessing its growth into an incredible innovation hub in Dudley has been both exciting and rewarding. We’re proud to have contributed to such a transformative project.”

BLACK COUNTRY RADIO

Black Country Radio is a much-loved local station, known for its strong community focus and wide regional reach. With a diverse mix of music, news, and local interest features, it plays a vital role in connecting people across the Black Country and beyond.

As a long-standing media partner of BCIMO, Black Country Radio supported our journey by helping us share stories of innovation, transport, and community impact. In the run-up to Family Day, presenter Dr Paul Collins welcomed us on air to talk about the event and the charities it supported.

Black Country Radio also broadcasted live from BCIMO on the day, bringing the atmosphere to listeners and shining a spotlight on everything happening.

We were incredibly grateful for their continued support and local storytelling power.

Dave Brownhill, Station Director, said:

“We at Black Country Radio were delighted to support BCIMO’s Family Day as part of the ongoing Rail 200 celebrations. Two hundred years ago, the Black Country was at the heart of railway innovation and produced both the Agenoria – the first steam locomotive to run in the Midlands and the South of England – and the Stourbridge Lion – the first locomotive to run on a commercial railroad in the USA.

Today, through BCIMO’s world-class facilities, the Black Country remains at the forefront of modern railway research and technology, and by helping to promote and report on this Family Day, Black Country Radio brought the event to the widest possible attention of people living in the area.”

VILLAGE VOICE MAGAZINE

Village Voice is a well-established local magazine that plays a key role in keeping communities informed, connected, and engaged. Delivered to homes across the borough, it’s a trusted source of news, events, and local interest stories.

We were delighted to feature in several recent issues, helping us spread the word about BCIMO Family Day to residents far and wide. Their ongoing coverage was instrumental in raising awareness of the event and encouraging families to come along and get involved.

Special thanks to Editor Gail for her continued support in championing local events and helping us reach the heart of the community.

Gail, who runs the magazine, said:

“Twenty years ago we started Village Voice Magazine – our only remit at that time was to provide a useful platform for people to read about local history together with quirky stories and details of upcoming events.   That remit has never changed – the magazine today still provides people with useful information about what is going on in their area.  We were delighted to have been given the opportunity to partner with Olivia at BCIMO to publicise the Family Day being held in celebration of Railway 200.”

DUDLEY COLLEGE OF TECHNOLOGY

Dudley College of Technology is a leading education provider committed to nurturing local talent and equipping students with the skills needed for the future. Their innovative approach to learning encourages practical, hands-on experience alongside academic development.

For BCIMO Family Day, we were proud to showcase a creative collaboration between BCIMO and product design tutor Adrian Eynon and his team. Following a visit to our site, they took on the challenge of transforming spare rail track into bespoke door stops and bookends. To complete each piece, they also designed and produced laser-cut acrylic branding panels.

This unique project was a fantastic example of creativity, craftsmanship, and local partnership – and we were excited to feature their work on the day.

Adrian Eynon, A Level Product Design Tutor Dudley College of Technology, said

“Students relish the challenge of a “live brief” when it comes to product design, so we have been delighted to work with such unusual materials, creating something we believe transport enthusiasts will cherish for years to come.”

STOURBRIDGE LION 2029

Stourbridge Lion 2029 is a community interest company with a mission to raise aspirations and promote engineering as a rewarding, multi-skilled career pathway. Formed to address local skills challenges, the initiative aims to inspire the next generation by connecting them with the West Midlands Industrial legacy and the opportunities decarbonisation and industrial innovation can offer.

For their first project, they’re working in partnership with the UK not-for-profit Primary Engineer, bringing hands-on STEM learning into local primary schools – helping plant the seeds of future talent early.

Their work also celebrates Rail 200, marking 200 years of UK rail history, and looking ahead to the 200th anniversary of the Stourbridge Lion in 2029. Drawing on the legacy of this iconic engine, they use this powerful local story to engage communities and highlight engineering heritage.

At Family Day, they hosted a stand, spoke as part of our Presentation Platform, and offered an exciting, augmented reality experience. Visitors were able to scan a QR code to place a 3D model of the new Lion into any setting using their phones.

A brilliant blend of history, innovation and inspiration – we were delighted to have them involved.

Simon Meddings, Director of Stourbridge Lion 2029 CIC, said:

“We’ve been working on this project to recognise and celebrate the Stourbridge Lion for several years. The Lion was designed and built here in Dudley Borough and became the first train to run on mainline rail in the US. It is an important part of our industrial heritage — one of many great engineering and design achievements from across the West Midlands.

We are using the powerful story of the Lion to engage local communities in STEAM and engineering skills, and we continue to look for local companies to get involved and support our work to bring the Primary Engineer Programme into our local schools.

We were delighted to see the people of Dudley and the surrounding area take the opportunity to come in and see what’s going on at Dudley Light Rail Centre, enjoy the various activities, and support the five great charities who benefited from the Family Day.”

To find out more about what went on at the event — and to stay updated as we share photos, videos, and the total amount raised for our five charities — please visit the BCIMO Family Day website page.

For more information on BCIMO or the VLRNIC, please visit the BCIMO website or click Contact Us to make an enquiry / sign up to our mailing list.