Year 3 of GWR’s £2.2 million community fund up for grabs

A £2.2 million community improvement fund launched by Great Western Railway is now inviting applications for the third and final year to support local communities and address areas of social need.

Got an idea? Get in touch

Launched in 2015, over 50 schemes have now benefited from a share of £1.5 million allocated over the first two years of Great Western Railway’s Customer and Communities Improvement Fund (CCIF).

Designed to support the communities we serve, GWR is calling for ideas and bids of all shapes and sizes. They must show a link to the railway and address an area of social need or provide a community benefit. Funding is available from April 2018 and all schemes must reach completion by April 2019.

If you have an idea, we want to hear from you

Each proposal will be treated on its own merits and consideration of the benefit it would bring to the community.

Please visit www.gwr.com/CCIF for further guidance notes and to submit your application. All proposals must be submitted by Thursday 31 August.

GWR Managing Director Mark Hopwood said:

“We are committed to improving the journeys of our passengers, as well as the economic prosperity and social footprint of the regions and communities we serve.

“We had many responses earlier this year from those in our communities looking for help, and I am delighted to now be able to invite applications for the final phase of our available funding.”

Covering 26 different projects across more than 10 counties, the Year 2 tranche of CCIF funding will see, among others:

• A project designed to educate disabled people how to travel independently 
• A personal development & employability programme for dis-engaged young people in Swindon
• An on-train musical project on the Looe Valley Line
• Enhancement of the station entrance and improved facilities at Barnstaple
• A new cycle way in Yeovil
• A design study to investigate a new northern access route at Melksham

Supported by the Department for Transport, CCIF has been established to recognise and support projects identified by the communities the rail operator serves.

All proposals will be presented to a panel of representatives from our Advisory Board (made up of local stakeholders), our Customer Panel, and our executive management team. Their recommendations will be presented to the Secretary of State for final approval. 

Notes to editors

Great Western Railway (GWR) provides high speed, commuter, regional and branch line train services. We help over 100 million passengers reach their destinations every year - across South Wales, the West Country, the Cotswolds, and large parts of Southern England.

We’re currently seeing the biggest investment in the network since Brunel so we can offer more trains, more seats, and shorter, more frequent journeys and continue the network’s heritage of helping connect more businesses to new and prosperous markets. Through a series of initiatives we aim to be a good neighbour to the communities we serve and are committed to making a positive social impact in those regions. Learn how we're Building a Greater West at GWR.com. GWR is a FirstGroup company.