TRU celebrates successful Community Fund projects across route
The Transpennine Route Upgrade (TRU) is showcasing some of the organisations from its 2025 Community Fund round, who have used their grants to improve local spaces and places.
Launched in 2024, the TRU Community Fund aims to help local community groups, schools and charities to create or enhance community-focused facilities across the 70-mile route. The second iteration in 2025 saw 35 successful applicants offered small, medium and large grants of £1000, £5000, £10,000 and £20,000 to fund their chosen projects.
A number of successful applicants have now completed their projects, with the results already being felt in their local communities.
Rise in Unity youth hub in Huddersfield provides a safe space for local young people to take part in its martial arts, mentoring and wellbeing sessions. Following Harpreet Uppal MP’s presentation of a £10,000 cheque back in December, the organisation have completed work on a brand-new kitchen and dining area.
In Leeds, Monk Fryston School have constructed a new bike shelter to store pupils’ bikes and encourage a more active way of travelling. The project aims to reduce carbon emissions, improve air quality, and ease congestion around the school, while promoting active, healthy lifestyles and improving safety for pupils and families. The new shelters provide weatherproof, secure storage at both main entrances, making sustainable travel easier and safer.
The Barn in Tadcaster is a youth and community centre for everyone living and working in Tadcaster and its nearby villages, promoting the social, economic and environmental wellbeing of the area. Through a £5,000 TRU Community Fund grant, they’ve been able to fully upgrade their kitchen facilities.
Further completed projects also include a new Family Support & Wellbeing Hub created by Family Unit Trust, new equipment for community cookery classes at Tameside Meals Seva Group, accessibility and facility improvements at Booth Centre’s Three Bees Community Café, and the expansion of Bee Together Community Centre & Garden’s community growing programme.
Anna Humphires, TRU head of sustainability and social value, said:
“The TRU Community Fund gives us the chance to leave a lasting legacy in the area we serve as a programme, but away from the tracks. I’m delighted to see the progress being made by a number of last year’s successful recipients and the positive impact they are having on their communities.
“We’re looking forward to launching our third iteration this year and seeing new organisations from across our route realise the benefits of this initiative.”
The TRU Community Fund will return later in 2026, giving more local organisations along the route the chance to apply for a grant and enhance their community spaces. Further details on how to apply will be announced in due course. In the meantime, interested applicants can visit the TRU Community Fund webpage for the latest updates.