Changemaker Fund grants will support community initiatives in South West Wales

People in South West Wales with great ideas to improve their local communities are being urged to apply for grants from the 2022 Community Changemakers Fund.

The fund directly supports local people and organisations who want to drive positive local change in communities along the South West Wales rail network.

This latest round of the funding has been launched by South West Wales Connected (SWWCo), a Community Rail Partnership set up to support the communities along the railway line throughout Carmarthenshire, Pembrokeshire, Neath Port Talbot and Swansea. SWWCo is hosted by 4theRegion, a community interest company based in High Street Station, Swansea, which is also backing the Community Changemakers initiative.

The aim of the fund is to support communities along its railway lines to make change happen in their local places. The initiatives could include, creative and cultural initiatives, projects to clean up or improve local spaces, projects to support local businesses or “buying local”, projects to promote sustainability or climate action, projects to promote walking and cycling, and much more.

The fund is available to any group of local residents, community organisation, charity, community interest company or micro-SME based within 10km/6 miles of a train station in the South West Wales rail network.

Each group or organisation can apply for a grant of between £300 and £1,000. The main criteria is that groups can demonstrate how the funding will improve community well-being and/or sense of place. They will need to state what the money will be used for and what difference their project will make. Their project will need to start and finish during 2022. The deadline for applications is December 23

South West Wales Connected Community Rail Officer Ashley Morgan said:

“We are delighted to launch this new round of funding after the highly successful first round in 2021, which saw a broad range of exciting projects being delivered across the region. We are passionate about supporting local people who aim to improve their communities in innovative ways, making small interventions that help create pride of place and promote well-being in the community. This new fund is designed to be easy to apply for, and will support changemakers within local communities around railway stations, helping them to bring about exciting change in their areas.”

Dawn Lyle, Chair of 4theRegion, said:

“We know that local people living in communities are best placed to know what’s needed – not top-down interventions. That’s why we’re delighted to be able to help make these grants available for “real people!”  If you have a great idea for improving your community and live in an area served by the South West Wales rail network, I urge you to get in touch and find out more about how to apply.  4theRegion is committed to creating positive change throughout the region and this project will certainly help to achieve that.”

More info about the fund can be found here: http://www.southwestwales.co/changemakers

To apply, please go online to http://www.southwestwales.co/changemakers.  Questions about the fund can be addressed to ashley@southwestwales.co.