Sports clubs invited to apply for new Community Rail Partnership funding

Nation.Cymru Staff

Sports clubs and community groups along one of Wales’ most scenic railway lines can now apply for funding to help more people get active.

The Heart of Wales Line Community Rail Partnership (CRP) launched the new grant scheme with funding from Transport for Wales to encourage participation in sport and sustainable travel.

The ‘Train 2 Play’ initiative will provide grants of up to £400 to support events taking place within two miles of a station on the Heart of Wales Line, which runs from Shrewsbury to Swansea, between 1 July and 31 October, 2026.

Funding can be used towards costs including venue hire, coaching fees, equipment, advertising and promotional activity.

Sports clubs, associations and community organisations are encouraged to develop events that attract new participants, introduce new activities or create more accessible opportunities for people to get involved in sport and physical activity.

Owen Griffkin, Heart of Wales Line Community Rail Partnership community rail development officer, said: “The ‘Train 2 Play’ Grant Scheme will support organisations that are helping people become more active while also promoting sustainable travel.

“The Heart of Wales Line connects so many communities and we want to encourage more people to use the railway to get involved in new activities, take part in local events and build stronger community connections through sport.”

Melanie Lawton, Transport for Wales community rail strategy lead, added: “The ‘Train 2 Play’ initiative is a great example of how our rail network can play a role in community wellbeing.

“By linking sustainable travel with grassroots sports, we are not only encouraging greener transport choices but also making physical activity more accessible and bringing communities together.”

All funded events will be promoted under the ‘Train 2 Play’ campaign branding, highlighting opportunities that can be accessed by rail and encouraging communities to choose more sustainable ways to travel.

The launch coincided with Community Rail Week (1 – 7 June), a national celebration of the work CRPs and station groups do to connect communities, support inclusion and promote greener, healthier travel.

The new grant programme reflects those aims by helping people access local sporting opportunities by train while strengthening links between the railway and the communities it serves.

Applications for the grant scheme close at 1pm on June 15 and funding comes from Transport for Wales’ Challenge Fund.

Further information about eligibility criteria and how to apply is available on the Heart of Wales Line site.