A428 Community Fund

About this fund

• The total value of the A428 Community Fund is £250,000.
• It will provide small-scale investments, up to £15,000, to support community initiatives.
• The fund will be administered by Cambridgeshire Community Foundation and will award grants exclusively to local non-profit organisations across Bedfordshire and Cambridgeshire near the A428 scheme.
• The fund will be available to apply throughout construction, with 5 different submission rounds starting in November 2023.
• This fund is routinely oversubscribed, with over £300,000 worth of applications for approximately £50,000 worth of available funding each round.
• All projects must be completed by January 2027.
• For the final round (deadline Feb 1st 2026) all projects requiring planning permission should already have this in place. Any projects without this in place will not be considered.

Fund criteria

The A428 Community Fund seeks to support projects that align with its priority areas:

• Local economy, skills and employment – investing in opportunities to inspire future careers in STEM, National Highways and its supply chain. For example, projects which support people in gaining employment on the development.
• Supporting and connecting communities – supporting community safety and health and wellbeing issues. For example:
  • Projects to reduce vehicle use and promote cycling, walking and other non-motorised users.
  • Arts, culture and heritage projects that reflect changes to the landscape and/or communities brought about by the A428 project.
  • Community involvement projects that build relationships in communities because of the new links that the A428 allows.
• Enhancing the environment – supporting the community to improve and enhance the natural environment, particularly around the A428 scheme.

The funds cannot be used to fund revenue costs. Any associated core or BUA costs must be directly linked to the delivery of the project and include a clear level of detail. For example, if you’re requesting funding for a team member to deliver courses, please specify: the role, number of hours, cost per hour, number and length of sessions, and how many people will benefit. We need to clearly understand what you’re asking for and how it supports the project.

Priority will be given to projects that can demonstrate a lasting legacy i.e. beyond a short-lived, one-off event.

Funded Projects 

CHUMS Charity received £14,500 to provide therapeutic programs for 48 children and young people in Bedfordshire.

The Croydon Reading Room received £1,500 to install a hearing loop in Royston.

The Wildlife Trust for Beds, Cambs, and Northants received £10,770 to host hands-on nature conservation events for 400 participants.

Overloaded received £14,655 to develop new facilities at Overload Farm in Bedford for 60 young people with anxiety or school attendance issues.

Citizen Hub St Neots CIC received £9, 000 towards refurbishing Citizen Hub St Neots

3rd St Neots Scout Group received £2,425 to support the establishment of a new group in Wintringham

Abbotsley Parish Council received £4,158.61 to install benches, planters, a bug hotel and wildlife/ history information boards

John Donne Church of England Primary School received £9,768 to create an outdoor learning area, to support children’s education

Little Paxton Colts Football Club received £6,958.34 towards a comprehensive pitch improvement, floodlights, new goals and equipment storage

St Swithun’s Church of England VC Primary School received £1, 3187 to build a a 5m outdoor classroom to finishing off their forest school and wetland area

Swans Swimming Club St Neots received £11,790 to buy a digital scoreboard to be able to run swimming competitions  for those for whom travel costs are a barrier

Gamlingay Parish Council received £1,403 to purchase and install Swift nest boxes and callers around The Emplins

Cambridge Rape Crisis Centre (CRCC) received £15,000 to provide specialist counselling to women and children who have been subjected to sexual violence

Full House Theatre Company received £8,118 to run a programme of arts and cultural activities for children and young people from Gypsy, Roma and Traveller (GRT) communities

Bedfordshire Orchestral Society received £6,120 to purchase two second-hand timpani to offer music enrichment to children

Wyboston Chawston & Colesden Parish Council (lead applicant) received £3,500 to introduce a formal 7.5 tonne weight restriction

Pink Rooster received £14,381.8 to run activities and workshops to help young people living with challenges to improve employment prospects, pursue higher education, and build resilience

12th Man Mental Health CIC received £6,000 to launch community-based Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) training aimed at organisations and businesses in typically male-dominated industries

Cambridge Acorn Project received £13,000 to provide therapeutic support for children and their families across Cambourne and St Neots

Fitness Rush Community CIC received £15,000 to provide qualification and employment opportunities for ex-offenders through fitness

Sandy Secondary School received £8,900 to provide resources supporting up to 1,000 students in need to complete their Duke of Edinburgh Award

Cambourne Youth Partnership received £14,974.17 to engage with young people to help design and create a community green space

Riverside Miniature Railway (RMR} received £15,000 to expand the miniature railway providing education and volunteering opportunities for children and young people with disabilities, neurodivergent adults and isolated older people

Living It Up received £14,276 to work alongside Safe Soulmates to bring their positive, fun and life affirming social events for neurodivergent young adults

Sandy Astronomical Society (SAS) received £390 to purchase lenses for the 6″ telescopes which are used for outreach events

Hilton Community Garden received £3,500 to run a series of events during 2025 to encourage people to grow vegetables be aware of the environment, look after nature and get to know people in the community

For Men To Talk received £11,212.08 to help run physical, virtual, fishing and walking meetings aimed towards promoting positive mental health in men

About the funder

National Highways will be upgrading the route between the Black Cat roundabout in Bedfordshire and Caxton Gibbet roundabout in Cambridgeshire with a new 10-mile dual carriageway and a number of junction improvements. It will improve journeys between Milton Keynes, Bedford, St Neots and Cambridge, bringing communities together, supporting long-term growth in the region and stopping rat running in the villages.

One of the main objectives of the A428 Black Cat to Caxton Gibbet improvement scheme is to leave a positive legacy. They have teamed up with us to provide a community fund that adds value and supports local initiatives along the route in Bedfordshire and Cambridgeshire.