HS2‘s community and business funds have donated a total of £16m to projects close to the HS2 route.

The fund consists of two streams, the Community and Environment Fund (CEF) and the Business and Local Economy Fund (BLEF), both of which started in 2017 in order to support communities along the new line.

Over the seven years since launch, a wide range of projects have received grants, from community gardens to sport facilities.

For example, £75,000 was awarded to the British Wheelchair Sports Foundation.

The funding has enabled them to put a new floor in the hall of their Stoke Mandeville Stadium, located in Buckinghamshire.

The hall is used for over-50s sports groups and wheelchair sports.

The same amount was also allocated to the Talisman Theatre and Arts Centre in Kenilworth, Warwickshire. The arts centre has been using the donation to create a new stage and upgrade the reception and bar.

HS2 is set to start operating between 2029 and 2033, and the investment in these local initiatives will cover the entire construction period.

Lichfield Cathedral in Staffordshire received £75,000 from HS2 funding and has used the money not only to carry out restoration but also to set up a foodbank and shelter for homeless people in the area.

Similarly, the 12th-century Shenstone Tower, also in Staffordshire, has benefitted from a share of HS2 funding, allowing it to be restored in late 2023.

As well as the money provided through the fund, HS2 has also given statutory compensation to those impacted by the line’s construction.

For further details about the fund and how to apply for grants, please click on the link.

We’re delighted to report that support for communities along HS2’s route has now exceeded £16m, with some outstanding examples of the tangible benefits enjoyed by locally-led projects.

In the last year we have invested in vital schemes to improve local people’s health and wellbeing, support children and young people, enhance the environment, and improve buildings and facilities – bringing communities together across rural and urban areas.

Cathy Elliott, Independent Chair of the HS2 funds

During a turbulent year for the HS2 project, it’s fantastic that communities have been provided with continuous and stable support through the funds, which are ensuring a rich variety of community assets and activities are being created for those effected by the works.

Graham Duxbury, Groundwork’s UK Chief Executive