Hereward Community Rail Partnership is getting cash from Greater Anglia to update its website

The Fenland-based Hereward Community Rail Partnership is one of 34 projects being awarded a share of £350,000 from Greater Anglia.

The train operator has announced it is giving the partnership £4,760 to upgrade its website – the only project in Cambridgeshire to receive a slice of the new Customer and Community Improvement Fund initiative.

Other projects to receive money from Greater Anglia are located in Norfolk and Suffolk.

Grants of up to £50,000 were available, with the train operator pledging a total of £350,000 this financial year, to projects across the Greater Anglia network as part of its ongoing support for communities.

Grants have been awarded to a wide range of projects that benefit both the community and the railway - from small-scale station enhancements to integrated transport projects, and schemes to introduce new or disadvantaged groups to rail travel.

Funding has also been awarded to education projects, biodiversity projects, arts and heritage schemes, as well as ideas that help to promote rail services amongst local communities.

This scheme is aimed at supporting initiatives that deliver community benefits and enhance the railway’s positive role in society. Applications were received from local organisations and bodies, such as community rail partnerships, station adopters, local authorities, parish councils, community groups, charities, and other stakeholders along the routes served by the train operator.

Greater Anglia’s Managing Director, Martin Beable, said: “I am delighted that we are able to invest £350,000 into community projects across East Anglia, and we are looking forward to seeing the schemes and ideas put forward progress and flourish over the coming year.

Hereward Community Rail Partnership is made up of local councils, train operators, railway user groups, station adoption groups, and local residents who look after the Hereward Line in Fenland, Cambridgeshire.

Its aim is to promote local rail services and stations, engage with train operating companies to identify improvements to services and enable local people to have their say about railways in their area.