A series of 27 London-based projects designed to ‘clean and green’ the city have been given a helping hand to turn into reality with support from a new ‘Our Space’ initiative, which is backed by Tideway.

The Our Space Awards aim to help Londoners improve their communities through active local engagement and increase a sense of ownership over shared spaces.

Work on the winning projects will soon begin, with awards going to a wide range of local initiatives, ranging from tree planting, to improving air quality, to reducing social isolation.

Tideway’s mission to improve the communities in which it works saw the super sewer project get involved to help further protect the city.

Kelly Bradley, Tideway’s Community Investment Manager, said: “As an environmental project ourselves, we are delighted that these 27 grants will help communities across London to green their neighbourhoods, tackling the effects of climate change and educating people about how they can help protect their environment.

“It also fits so well with our aim to deliver a wider legacy through our community investment programme. Helping to select the awards has been inspiring and I am excited to see how these projects will bring communities closer whilst making green improvements to their space.”

The awards will be administered and delivered by Groundwork London, a federation of charities mobilising practical community action on poverty and the environment across the UK.

Among the winning projects is the Bishop Creighton House Gardening Club in Hammersmith, for which the funding will support a kitchen garden that can be used by a gardening club to teach people with learning disabilities how to grow nutritious ingredients to support independent living.

Elsewhere, in Bromley, funding has been allocated to create a willow and hazel play structure that will leave a legacy for the Queens Jubilee at the Recreation Ground (pictured below). 

And in Lewisham, the stillness Eco Garden will provide equitable access to a safe, high quality green space for all children at Stillness Schools.

Martin Petry, Manager of Grants Programmes at Groundwork London, added: “We are thrilled to be delivering Our Space Award again after a brief pause.

“We are excited to be working with an expanded group of funders on a larger programme which is now provided larger grants from £500 up to £20,000.

“These new developments will allow us to provide even more support to London's communities to improve their shared spaces and increase their sense of ownership.”

As projects progress across London, Tideway and Groundwork London will continue to support groups with their delivery, including volunteer support and providing advice and expertise.