Nine of the poorest communities in London are to be given £1 million of Lottery funding each, with locals deciding how to spend it.
The Big Local programme, run by the Big Lottery Fund, gives communities control over funding in a bid to increase community activity.
The areas are Plaistow South in Newham, St James Street in Waltham Forest, the Aberfeldy Estate in Tower Hamlets, the World’s End Estate in Chelsea, Peabody Avenue and Churchill Gardens Estate in Westminster, Ethorne Estate in Islington, Wembley Central, The Grande Estate in Barnet and Somers Town in Camden. Fifty communities across England were chosen.
Dharmendra Kanani, the Director of England for the BLF, said: “This is people-powered change in practice. They are areas that have not had the chance to better themselves but do have the hopes and aspirations to make their areas better.”
The funding is given over 10 years, with no strings attached other than that the community must work together to find a solution.
