Community projects across the North of England and Scotland were invited to apply for grants of up to £5,000 as part of the TPE Transform Fund and the winners were chosen by a public vote.

Michelle Waller, Senior Development Officer for Cumbria Wildlife Trust, said: “We are delighted to receive the grant of £5,000. It’s a very exciting time for Gosling Sike. It’s a blank canvas and this grant will make a great difference to what we can achieve to make this a special place for people and for wildlife too. Over the years we hope to create events, activities and a green space bursting with wildlife, all at the heart of the community.

“But first things first – we need to get on with creating a community wildlife garden and a welcome area. This will be a ‘hub’ where people can go when they feel in need of company or are looking for a quiet place to sit and appreciate nature.”

Charlie French, Accessibility and Transport Integration Manager at TransPennine Express, said: “We’d like to thank everyone who took the time to submit an application to our Transform Fund. This is the first time the public was able to vote for their favourite project, with over 6000 votes cast throughout December.

“The standard of submissions we received was very high and I’m delighted that so many projects across our local communities we serve will benefit from the Transform fund. As a company, we can’t wait to see how each applicant benefits from our support.”

Each year, TransPennine Express invites applications from community groups and charities to its Transform Grants Fund, with £50,000 available to support projects which tackle youth unemployment, promote social inclusion and improve the environment.