Community Walking and Cycling Fund

The Community Walking and Cycling Fund has now closed for 2025, and the recipients have been announced. 

As part of the Enjoy Waltham Forest programme, in 2019 Waltham Forest Council launched a fund for local community projects that aim to encourage residents to be more active. After six successful rounds of projects which saw over 4000 more residents walking and cycling across the borough, we are excited to announce a further £25,000 of funding for 2025. 

The aim of the fund is to develop and support the work of community groups to reach more residents than the Council would ordinarily be able to, and to ensure that as many people as possible enjoy the benefits of walking and cycling. Our new and existing projects look to build stronger communities, promote sustainable transport options, and support healthier lifestyles among our residents, alongside helping to tackle social isolation and loneliness.

We encourage you to get in touch to discuss your application early as we expect to receive a high number of applications. The Community Walking and Cycling Fund 2025 grant applications open on 3 February 2025 and applications close on 10 March 2025. Applicants can apply for up to £2,500 to support their project. 

Applicants must be applying as part of a constituted voluntary or community sector group or organisation that will deliver the project. A constituted group means that the group has a formal structure, its own bank account, and an agreed constitution (a statement of the aims and rules of the group and what the group wants to do). Please refer to the Community Walking and Cycling Fund guidance (PDF) for details of the required documentation for applicants.

Applicants must complete their project between 28 April to 31 October 2025.

Recipients of 2024 funding are eligible to apply to the 2025 Community Walking and Cycling Fund.

If you would like to discuss your project proposal or application in more detail, please email CWCF@walthamforest.gov.uk to arrange a virtual or in-person meeting with a Council Officer.

How to apply

1. Read through the Community Walking and Cycling Fund Guidance document
2. Complete the application form - please ensure to include as much detail as possible including a budget, project plan, and timeline
3. Send the completed application form to CWCF@walthamforest.gov.uk

In 2025, the Community Walking and Cycling Fund gave grants to nine projects:

• Ace Community Sports: Providing a walking group for children and adults with disabilities
• Age UK Waltham Forest: running beginner cycle training sessions for people aged over 60
• Black Women on Wheels (BWOW): Freedom to ride, offering monthly group bike rides for women from Black communities
• Cycle Sisters: encouraging Muslim women to cycle for active travel through led rides from Leyton Jubilee Park and Lloyd Park
• East London Out Project (ELOP): Refit, a walk and talk group for the LGBTQ+ community.
• Geek Café: Over-60s walk and talks in Leytonstone
• JoyRiders: The Great Big Family Cycling Summer, leading cycle rides for families in Waltham Forest
• Sapphire: Walk, talk ‘n’ sketch project, a walking group connecting together art and active travel
• Walk the Loop: Stepping Out, a walking group for families, based in Pimp Hall Nature Reserve and the wider Chingford area

You can find out more about them via the link below.