Mayor of London awards Grow Back Greener grants totalling almost £700,000 to 34 projects across the capital
90 per cent of projects are in areas of deprivation – where residents are less likely to have access to green space.
One third of projects will be led by Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic Londoners
The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has today announced the 34 community projects which will be receiving grants through his Grow Back Greener Fund.
The Grow Back Greener Fund is part of the Mayor’s programme to secure a green recovery from COVID-19. A total of £699,000 has been awarded to community projects that will be delivered between now and September 2021. They include community gardens, mini parks, greening streets, allotments to benefit the local community as well as new training opportunities for 1000 Londoners.
The fund is a key part of the Mayor’s Green New Deal for London mission which aims to support those most likely to experience cold, damp homes, poor air quality and with limited access to green space.
The importance of access to green space, to help Londoners’ physical and mental wellbeing, was brought into sharp focus during lockdown. Projects were prioritised in areas of the city that have poor access to open space and nature, especially where these are also areas of deprivation; and projects that work with or are led by Londoners who are less likely to access green space. This includes BAME and lower income Londoners, and over-65s.
More than 90 per cent of projects are in areas of deprivation and over 80 per cent are in areas where less than half of households have good access to open space*. The fund will also support projects that help Londoners to adapt to the impact of climate change in neighbourhoods that are most vulnerable to these risks such as overheating and surface water flooding.
The projects will improve more than six hectares of green space - around the size of 11 football pitches - and create almost half a hectare of brand new green cover helping London adapt and respond to the climate and ecological emergency. They will also create opportunities for more than 2,000 Londoners to get involved in volunteering outdoors, of which 1,000 will take part in training opportunities, including in horticulture and other green skills.
Through funding these projects, the Mayor will support environment charities and grassroots groups as they recover from the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.
Examples of projects include:
Creating and improving community gardens in neighbourhoods with poor access to open space: Sunnyhill Nature Garden, led by London Borough of Lambeth and Sunnyhill Nature Garden Umbrella Group, which will create an accessible community garden from a currently overgrown, closed off site in Streatham
Helping London adapt to climate change and promoting walking and cycling by converting grey streets into greener spaces: The Wardle Street Project, led by Core Arts, which will green the route between Homerton High Street and Homerton Hospital in Hackney, with a community orchard, a new meadow and a green wall
Supporting vulnerable Londoners to access green space and nature: Allotment of Refuge, led by Action for Refugees in Lewisham, which will transform an unloved allotment into a food growing and training space for refugee, asylum seeker and No Recourse to Public Funds families.
The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: “I am proud to be Mayor of the world’s first National Park City – our parks and green spaces are an absolutely essential part of the capital. The coronavirus crisis has demonstrated that now more than ever, access to green space is not only vital for Londoners’ mental and physical well-being, but also to reducing inequality across the city.
“Today’s announcement shows how we are kickstarting a green recovery in London through giving people on the ground the powers and resources to transform their own communities. In continuing to prioritise the green spaces that will help tackle the climate and ecological emergency, we can deliver the huge social and environmental benefits that Londoners deserve.”
Eric Mbiada, Chair of environmental charity Nature Vibezzz, said: "Receiving funding from the Grow Back Greener Fund is a massive boost to our charity, the money will enable us to make some major improvements for wildlife and the community to several urban sites in Lambeth including planting of native trees and flowers, and the installation of a new footbridge. Our free project activities will be crucial for participating families coming out of lockdown, these will include organic vegetable and fruit gardening, woodcraft, bushcraft skills and planting. Our child-led approach on activities will help children develop self-initiative, promote independence, self-esteem and build social skills through outdoor play, learning and environmental awareness."
Joy-Caron Canter, Director of the Royal Docks Learning and Discovery Centre in Newham, said: “We are so excited to receive Grow Back Greener funding for our Royal Docks Grass Routes project. The funding will enable us to make much needed greening improvements to the local area, and to activate outdoor spaces for local community members.”