Hello everyone. We hope you are all well and gearing up for Community Rail Week, which is less than 3 weeks away!
CRDF and Small Grants Fund
We are not yet able to open these grant funds for 2024-25 due to awaiting confirmation from the Department for Transport of our funding award. We have been advised that the DfT’s intention is to provide funding at the same levels as last year. We will communicate with members as soon as we have news.
Funding opportunities
There are several funding opportunities currently (or soon to be) available that might be of interest to members. These include grants offering:
- Up to £75k to rejuvenate rural community green spaces
- £5k to improve the education and development of children and young people
- Up to £10k to support early-stage feasibility work on historic building projects
- Funding for capital projects such as building renovation
- £10k-£75k for community buildings, cultural facilities, rebuilding biodiversity and more
As always, our support & development team is on hand to provide extra support.
Integrated sustainable travel showcase webinars
We are hosting a series of showcase webinars 12-1pm every Thursday in June, to share lessons and insights from projects to improve multi-modal connectivity funded by our 2023-24 Integrated Sustainable Travel Fund. Community rail partnerships and station groups that benefitted from the fund will share experiences and discuss learnings. See our calendar to book your place. Don’t forget that our sustainable travel projects coordinator Gary Shipp remains on-hand to advise on new initiatives and ideas on integrating rail with other sustainable modes.
Value of Community Rail report
Thank you to members who took time to input examples and evidence on your impact for our new report on the Value of Community Rail, sponsored by Rail Delivery Group. We’re pleased to have engaged 40 CRPs and 20 station groups who shared insights and data on how their work contributes to each pillar of the DfT’s Community Rail Development Strategy. The report is now underway, to be published in June.
Design skills webinar with TeamBA
Join our next webinar on Tuesday 11 June, 10am-12pm, where TeamBA will provide members with tips on how to use Canva to improve your design skills and enhance your social media presence. It’s also a great opportunity to meet our corporate partners TeamBA and learn about the pro-bono support they offer to members. Book your place.
If you have any news stories, please email our communications team on news@communityrail.org.uk. See here for guidance on submitting stories.
Your next bulletin is on 15 May. Keep up-to-date in between on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and TikTok.
Best wishes,
Jeremy and Jools
- Play your part in raising awareness of rail safety across dedicated week
- Train operators launch new innovation programme to transform the rail industry
- Apply for TRIG funding to research innovative ideas to improve UK transport
- Tyne Valley CRP launches UK’s first guide to visiting World Heritage Sites by rail
- Community-inspired artwork celebrates Rugby through the power of colour
- New River Line CRP launches rail trail with a difference
- Rail safety artwork unveiled at Rhyl Station
- Biodiversity-boosting ‘bug hotels’ coming to Bentham Line stations
- Community gets on board with Belper Station artwork
- Friends of Brockenhurst Station and SWR promote cycle safety in the community
- Video inspires visitors to discover Dorchester by train
- Littlehampton Station showcases Young Cultural Changemakers art
- Oxfordshire CRP launches new website
Stuart Parker, walks coordinator, said: “We’ve been organising at least two walks per month using train services on the Penistone Line since May 1994. Over the years, many hundreds of walkers have discovered this delightful area of West and South Yorkshire, with its network of public footpaths branching from stations along the line between Huddersfield and Sheffield.
“Join us this Saturday 4 May to celebrate the 30th anniversary of our ‘railway rambles’ with a walk from Denby Dale to Penistone.”
Explore the summer programme of guided walks from Penistone Line stations.
