GWR’s £20,000 boost for projects making a big difference in the West

The Quartet Community Foundation will use the GWR Community Charitable Fund for projects that meet community aspirations and have a profound impact on people’s lives.

As part of GWR’s franchise agreement with the Department for Transport, the train operator is committed to supporting community and not-for-profit organisations by aiding a number of initiatives.

Quartet will identify projects that meet the aims of the GWR funding through applications to their existing portfolio of grant programmes. Grants will be focused on projects supporting communities along the GWR route including in and around Bath, Keynsham, Avonmouth, Filton, Patchway, Nailsea, Yatton, Worle and Weston-Super-Mare.

The Quartet Community Foundation’s Philanthropy Manager for Bath & North East Somerset, Angela Emms, said:

“The Quartet Community Foundation exists to help people in the West of England have a fair chance of a good life. We work closely with a wide variety of donors and fundholders and connect them with causes that matter – vital projects that meet community aspirations and have a profound impact on people’s lives.

“Through our donors and the endowment we’ve built together since 1987, we award around 1,000 grants each year, supporting hundreds of thousands of people through local frontline charities and voluntary groups.”

With the GWR Community Charitable Fund, Quartet aims to award grants of up to £2,000 for a broad spread in terms of beneficiary groups, the challenges being addressed and the location.

For some projects this grant will be enough. For other projects, grants will be pooled with funding from one of Quartet’s other fundholders.

GWR Community Manager Emma Morris said:

“We have a specific pot of money designed to support community and not for profit organisations. The GWR Community Charitable Fund means Quartet will be able to help a significant number of projects and make a real difference to some of those communities we serve in the West.”

To find out more about the Quartet Community Foundation please visit quartetcf.org.uk/

Notes to editors

First Greater Western Limited, trading as “Great Western Railway” (GWR), operates trains across the Great Western franchise area, which includes South Wales, the West Country, the Cotswolds, across southern England and into London. GWR provides high speed, commuter, regional and branch line train services, and before the covid-19 pandemic helped over 100 million passengers reach their destinations every year. GWR was recently awarded an extension to its direct award franchise (called DA3), which shall run up to 31 March 2023 with an option to extend for a further year. 

Find out more here: https://www.gwr.com/about-us