Thirty-five local organisations along the TransPennine route have benefitted from a share of £250,000 in grants made on behalf of the Transpennine Route Upgrade (TRU) between York, Leeds, Huddersfield, and Manchester.

The grants, which came from this year’s TRU Community Fund, were awarded in partnership with the charity Neighbourly. This is the fund’s second year, and it aims to create or improve community facilities around the TransPennine route by helping local community groups, schools, and charities.

The 35 local organisations successful in the 2025 applications were offered grants of £1,000, £5,000, £10,000, and £20,000 to fund their projects.

Members of the TRU, along with local MPs and Councillors, recently visited some of the groups to find out how they would use their grants. In Huddersfield, the Rise in Unity youth hub provides a safe space for local young people participating in martial arts, as well as mentoring and wellbeing sessions. Harpreet Uppal MP presented it with a cheque for £10,000 to help fund a new dining and social area.

In Manchester, the Family Unit Trust aims to raise awareness of cancer and improve the understanding of the nature, causes, diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of all forms of the disease. Lord Mayor, Councillor Carmine Grimshaw, presented the trust with a cheque for £10,000 towards refurbishing an unused unit and converting it into a family support & wellbeing hub for families affected by cancer and illness.

In York, TRU and Councillor Kate Ravilious presented a £20,000 grant to Lord Deramore’s School, which has teamed up with ‘Outdoor Play and Learning to improve playtimes and lunchtimes; the grant will help to create storage and resource-themed areas.

TRU has previously awarded grants to organisations with projects to tackle unemployment in young people.

Alex Peters, Acting Head of Sustainability for TRU, commented that the Community Fund forms a key part of its commitment to invest in local communities, supporting the spaces and places it will be working in across the next decade.

“TRU is one of the biggest infrastructure projects in the country, and I want to thank local residents for their patience as large-scale projects like these do not come without inconvenience and disruption. However, the project has enormous potential not only to transform journeys but to boost jobs, skills and economic growth in Huddersfield. Alongside this, it is great to see TRU investing in our local communities through their community fund. Rise in Unity CIC does amazing work with young people, and thoroughly deserves this award – I can’t wait to see the new space when it’s complete!”

Harpreet Uppal, MP for Huddersfield