Community groups receive thousands in rail grants

Community groups in Kent, East Sussex and London have been given funding by one of the region's rail operators.

Southeastern has awarded grants of up to £50,000 to 13 organisations.

Recipients include groups working in the environment, heritage and suicide prevention.

The money has come from the company's Customer and Communities Improvement Fund.

Damian Testa, Southeastern’s head of public affairs, said: “Our railway sits at the heart of communities, not only getting people from A to B, but also driving economic growth and jobs and helping people break down barriers to reach their potential.

“We are an industry leader in improving social mobility and we are proud to be able to help these projects unlock opportunities to make a positive difference across the areas we serve.”

Organisations benefiting include Beams Inclusive Adventures, which organises family days out for disabled children in north Kent, and Active Tunbridge Wells, which offers mental health support to young people.

Aspens Travel-Ability helps adults with learning difficulties and autism to use rail travel in Tunbridge Wells, Battle and Hastings.

Also in Hastings, 20 plaques will be put up commemorating railway heroes, in time for the railway's 200th anniversary in 2025.

The Citizens of the World Choir in Greenwich, south-east London, organises performances to tackle social isolation and improve mental health, while the Greenwich Society will get money to help redecorate the local station.

Across the region, the Samaritans' work with suicide prevention gets more funding.

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