The Mayor of London, , has today
announced a new £750,000 fund to help grassroots community
organisations hardest hit by the coronavirus pandemic.
The ‘Community Spaces at Risk’ fund will help protect grassroots
cultural centres, social clubs, youth, education and other spaces
that are locally-rooted and critical for supporting vulnerable
groups during the pandemic. Many of these community hubs deliver
a range of activities to tackle isolation, support mental health
and resilience and provide essential local services, but they are
under financial pressure when they are needed most.
Sadiq has been an active supporter of the role of civil society
and cultural groups, and this new fund will provide one-to-one
specialist advice, direct support and grants to help
organisations protect these spaces. It will be particularly
targeted at those most affected by the impact of covid-19,
including Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic communities, LGBTQ+
communities, Deaf and disabled people, and women’s-led groups.
The fund will be delivered through a new partnership between the
Mayor’s Culture at Risk Office and Locality, a national charity
specialising in supporting community organisations. The Mayor’s
Culture at Risk office was set up in 2016 to protect cultural and
creative spaces across the capital. Since the start of the
pandemic, the Culture at Risk Office has been expanded and has
helped provide urgent support to more than 660 cases. It has
helped organisations and individuals with lease negotiations,
fundraising, lobbying decision-makers to save at-risk venues, as
well as emergency grants.
The fund will be part of the London Community Response, which is
helping a diverse range of community and voluntary organisations
deal with the impact of the pandemic. The capital’s
already-stretched voluntary and community sectors have seen a
significant rise in demand for their services this year, and the
Mayor, who is a founding contributor to the London Community
Response, has now provided nearly £10m in total.
Sadiq has identified “High Streets for All” – a City Hall
campaign to promote thriving and diverse high streets and tow
centres as key to aid London’s recovery. This financial support
will help support organisations that contribute enormously to the
busy, inclusive and resilient high streets and town centres that
rely on their brilliant cultural and community spaces.
Sadiq has continued to be an active supporter of the cultural and
community sector and has lobbied the Government to do more to
help them throughout the coronavirus crisis.
The Mayor of London, , said:
“Community and cultural spaces have been invaluable beacons of
hope, support and comfort to so many Londoners during the
pandemic. They are providing an essential resource for our local
communities, offering a safe and familiar place to support each
other and delivering vital services following a decade of
austerity. However, these spaces are facing increased pressures
from the impact of covid-19, and desperately need support to
continue their work. Through this fund, we will do all we can to
help them continue to serve the communities who need them the
most.”
Carole Reilly, Director of Service at Locality said: “Locality is
delighted to be supporting the Mayor’s Community Spaces at Risk
programme. We know from our work supporting communities to take
on and manage community spaces, that access to these shared
spaces, especially during the pandemic, has been vital in
promoting health and well-being. This fund will strengthen this
work and protect the resilience of Londoners.”
James Banks, Chief Executive for London Funders said: “We’re
pleased that the Greater London Authority’s Culture at Risk team
is providing much-needed support for the sector through the
London Community Response. By working together across sectors,
funders are reaching a wider pool of applicants and are targeting
their resources to the organisations and communities that need it
most.”
ENDS –
NOTES TO EDITORS
- Organisations will have two opportunities to apply for the
‘Community Spaces at Risk’ support fund through the London
Community Response https://londoncommunityresponsefund.org.uk/
- Applications are open now until 3 Dec 2020 to apply for
one-to-one support and grants up to £10,000
- Applications will reopen early in the new year - exact dates
to be announced shortly.
- All eligible organisations that have already applied to LCR
will also be considered for the ‘Community Spaces at Risk’
support fund.
