TransPennine Express is donating £50,000 to community projects and charities across the north of England and Scotland.
Each year, TPE invites applications from community groups and charities for its Transform Grants Fund, with £50,000 available to support projects which tackle youth unemployment, promote social inclusion and improve the environment.
This year, the operator received a remarkable 114 applications for its Transform Grants funding, requesting more than £450,000.
Community projects across the North of England and Scotland were invited to apply for grants of up to £5,000 as part of the Transform fund and the lucky recipients have now been confirmed after a public vote during December, where over 6,000 votes were cast.
Winners include projects to brighten up the community such as Malton in Bloom, while money will also be donated to charities like Glasgow Children’s Hospital Charity who will be using their donation to fund a teddy bear hospital to help children become familiar with a hospital environment. Environmental projects will also benefit such as the Cumbria Wildlife Trust and there’s still links to the railway, with a donation being made to South Station in Levenshulme to help restore an old railway station.
Charlie French, Accessibility and Transport Integration Manager at TransPennine Express, said:“We’d like to thank everyone who took the time to submit an application to our Transform Fund. This is the first time the public was able to vote for their favourite project, with over 6000 votes cast throughout December.
“The standard of submissions we received was very high and I’m delighted that so many projects across our local communities we serve will benefit from the Transform fund. As a company, we can’t wait to see how each applicant benefits from our support.”
Full list of 2019 Transform grant winners:
• Cumbria Wildlife Trust awarded £5,000 for a community space and activities for people with mental or physical health problems.
• Glasgow Children’s Hospital Charity’s Pop-Up Teddy Bear Hospital awarded £3000 allowing children to become more familiar with their healthcare.
• Heatons’ Men in Sheds awarded £2619 to help the well-being for socially isolated men and projects to improve the local community.
• Hull & District Anglers’ Association awarded £3150 for after-school angling session in Brough, allowing young people and families to try out angling.
• Lancashire Community Finance Trust awarded £5000 to help improve to enterprise skills of young people in their local community.
• Malton in Bloom awarded £5000 to create gardens and floral displays to help enhance the bee population and improve the local environment in the town.
• Mirfield in Bloom awarded £5000 to help enhance the local community and railway station through the development of floral displays.
• Open Minds Counselling Service awarded £2613 to provide therapy groups for those who suffer with mental health issues, post-traumatic stress disorder and those affected by domestic violence.
• Ruskin Mill Trust’s High Riggs Composting Scheme awarded £4393 to provide a sustainable and circular food economy, reduce food waste and provide education opportunities for SEN students.
• Skill Mill awarded £4000 to provide employment opportunities for young people aged 16-18 in water and land-based management, helping to reduce flood risks and improve the local environment.
• Station South CIC in Levenshulme awarded £5000 to restore an old railway station, transforming it into a destination cycle café, co-working space and community garden.
