Great Western Railway has opened the process for bids for funding from its Customer and Community Improvement Fund for the 2026/27 financial year.

The operator has also revealed that last year’s programme supported more than ninety projects across its network.

The fund supports small and medium projects related to the railway which benefit railway passengers and address local social needs through charities, community groups and voluntary organisations.

The operator says that it is particularly inviting applications from programmes that encourage rail travel and reduce carbon, as well as those that connect communities, help economic growth, and promote inclusion and diversity. The fund will also support educational programmes about railway issues, for example, careers in the railway industry or campaigns to raise awareness of public transport and rail safety.

Applications are open, and bids can be submitted until Monday 2 February 2025.

Among the grants that GWR’s last year’s successful projects included:

• £24,000 to the Centre for Deaf and Hard of Hearing in Bristol, which connects deaf communities across the south west region.
• £1,400 to the PL24 Community Association, which it used to install a bench and planters at Par station, providing a comfortable place for people to sit while waiting for a bus at Par station.
• £13,000 to Avonmouth Community Centre Association to develop a gardening and wellbeing project that grows food and connects people through green space, and is themed around the story of the Railway.
• £25,000 to South Gloucestershire Council to install twenty weatherproof bike lockers in the station car park at Yate. Severnside Community Rail Partnership (CRP) helped to deliver this project, which aims to encourage local residents to combine cycling with rail travel by making it safer and easier to do so.

Previous years’ successful bidders include projects to improve biodiversity at Barnstaple station and promote bee conservation at Worcestershire Parkway station.

This video shows City of Portsmouth College’s Railway 200 Flashmob, which received funding from GWR’s Customer and Community Improvement Fund last year.

“Our Customer and Community Improvement Fund is a superb programme that allows us to invest locally in projects that have a positive and meaningful impact for our customers and our communities.

“With past funding we’ve supported a diverse range of initiatives, from inspiring educational programmes and wayfinding schemes to wildlife and railway heritage conservation. We’re committed to improving passenger journeys and the economic prosperity and social footprint of the regions we serve.”

GWR Senior Community Impact Manager Emma Morris