Northern has pledged £100,000 to community groups in its bid to boost social mobility in deprived areas across the North of England.

The Northern Customer and Community Improvement Fund, offering grants from £2,500 to £20,000, is now open for applications.

Groups with plans to support early careers, undertake educational outreach, and foster inclusive employment are particularly welcome.

The submission deadline for applications is June 7.

The initiative doubles the funding committed in 2023, when £50,000 was shared between 12 projects that were aimed at eradicating the issue of social isolation.

Carolyn Watson, director of stakeholder and community engagement at Northern, said: “We know social mobility is a major issue for some of the communities across our network.

“The Customer and Community Improvement Fund is a way we can support local people to deliver initiatives and projects that they know will help improve the situation on the ground in those locations.

“This is an important part of our mission to ensure that Northern has a positive impact on the North.”

This railway operator is the UK's second largest, providing around 2,500 services daily to over 500 stations in the North of England.

To apply, visit: northernrailway.co.uk/about-us/community/ccif