Tag: Mayor of London

The press release issued by the Mayor of London on 7 September 2022.

Sadiq announces new service Energy Advice London, in partnership with the Energy Saving Trust, to provide advice to Londoners on managing energy bills

The Mayor’s new service comes as the new Prime Minister is expected to announce a bill freeze to be repaid by customers through energy bills or taxes, while the Mayor has called for a ‘Lifeline Tariff’ to help those in need and for any price freeze to be paid from the profits of fossil fuel companies benefiting from this crisis

The Mayor of London has today announced a new advice service, Energy Advice London, to support Londoners struggling to pay soaring energy bills due to the cost of living crisis.

This comes as Londoners face the possibility of not being able to heat their homes or put food on the table with energy bills already at high levels even before most Londoners need to turn on their heating. Energy Advice London – the first such service available to all Londoners in a decade – will help Londoners navigate the spiralling cost of living crisis and will launch this Autumn. Funded by the Mayor, the new service will be run by the Energy Saving Trust with a website and dedicated phone line to expertly guide Londoners through managing their bills and help them make their homes more energy efficient.

Like the Cost of Living Hub, Energy Advice London will be available to all Londoners but with an energy focus. It will complement the support that the Mayor already offers to vulnerable and low income Londoners through the Warmer Homes Advice Service and the Warmer Homes scheme.

However, the Mayor has stated that this alone isn’t enough and that Government must immediately address the crisis facing Londoners and the nation. Sadiq is calling for a ‘Lifeline Tariff’ which will allow a minimum floor of domestic energy use before charges begin for the most vulnerable people in London.

He has also said the Government should freeze bills but not make Londoners pay for this through a lost era of debt or through their taxes but instead use a windfall tax on those fossil fuel companies that have benefits from this crisis. In addition, he has said it is time to overturn a decade of inaction on making homes energy efficient to ensure Londoners are insulated from such a price surge in the future.

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: “With eye-watering energy bills awaiting anyone that turns on their heating for the first time this Autumn, too many Londoners will be faced with being unable to heat their homes or feed their families.

“Energy Advice London will help Londoners manage their bills while keeping their homes warm, but this crisis can’t be averted without Government putting the right plan in place. I’m pleased to see that Government are planning to freeze bills but if they are to be repaid by the public then people will be trapped into high bills or taxes for years to come, while the fossil fuel businesses enjoy their unearned profits. We can’t afford to saddle Londoners with years of debt. The Government must introduce a ‘Lifeline Tariff’ to ensure support for those who need it most through this covid- level crisis.”

Mike Thornton, Chief Executive, Energy Saving Trust said: “We’re proud to be part of the positive action being taken in London to provide advice on reducing energy bills. As an expert in delivering advice services across the UK for decades, we know the difference that access to tailored information for individuals on energy efficiency, reducing their energy bills and eligibility for financial support can make. We look forward to helping households and working with the Mayor’s office and London borough councils to offer support this winter.”

The press release issued by the Mayor of London on 7 September 2022.

Claire Waxman, London’s Victims’ Commissioner, said: “Yesterday, my stalker was convicted of three breaches of a lifetime restraining order and of stalking. This has provided my family and me with some relief, but after nearly 20 years of being stalked by this man, the impact of his behaviour has taken an enormous toll on our lives, and it will take us time to recover from this latest ordeal.

It has also been a stark reminder that victims do not have a voice in our justice system. This has made me even more determined to fight for their rights and to put an end to victims being treated as bystanders. If we want victims to come forward to help keep the public safe, then we must fundamentally change the status of victims in our justice system. Their role is too valuable to continue to treat them this way.

My latest experience has reinforced that the Government’s draft Victims’ Bill – as currently written – will make no difference to victims navigating our delayed and broken justice system. The bill must be radically strengthened, along with long-term investment in our justice system and support services, to meet the Government’s objective of ‘putting victims at the heart of the justice system’.

My case has also sadly highlighted that, ten years on, the stalking legislation I campaigned for is flawed and not working for stalking victims. I will be calling on Government to reform the law and create one piece of standalone anti-stalking legislation. It needs to recognise that stalking is a cruel crime of psychological terror which leaves victims suffering for years. A ‘summary only’ offence carrying a maximum sentence of six months does not reflect the severity and long-lasting damage of stalking.

I want to thank the Met Police and CPS for their work on this case. It is clear the Met’s specialist anti-stalking unit S-TAC is making a positive difference to some victims, but they must now work hard to ensure that expertise and knowledge reaches the front line and can help all stalking victims in London. As a result of my experience, we are also now working closely with the Met to review their Witness Care Units which have been struggling to meet victims’ needs. Significant work is underway, and I am confident that together, we will get this unit back on track and providing a better service to victims in London.

Finally, I want to thank my retired Met officer, Daniel Candler. Without him, I would have been unable to cope and attend court. He has provided the support that I want all Met officers to provide for victims. This is the gold standard they should be aiming for.”

The press release issued by the Mayor of London on 22 August 2022.

• New City Hall analysis shows Londoners are experiencing higher inflation for local goods and services than the average across the UK
• Local food and rental asking prices driving London’s underlying inflation
• Low-paid Londoners face double threat of slow pay rises and rising inflation

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has warned that low paid Londoners are being hit harder by the cost of living crisis than other parts of the UK, as new City Hall research suggests that London is experiencing faster underlying inflation in some areas.

The UK’s rate of inflation jumped to 10.1 per cent in July, the first time it has registered a double-digit annual increase in more than four decades, and Bank of England projections point to inflation accelerating further later this year. However, over the last six months, underlying inflation for local prices in London has consistently been found to track 1.5 percentage points higher than the national figure.

Rising local food costs is one of the key pressures pushing the capital’s underlying inflation above the national average. This will affect Londoners on the lowest incomes the hardest as they spend a larger proportion of their income on food.

London rental prices are also a major factor: the Rightmove Rental Price Tracker (1) indicates asking rents for new rentals in London are growing faster than anywhere else in the UK, up as much as 15.8 per cent annually in the last three months. This inflationary pressure will only grow as more people renew or move out of contracts that may have been kept at a lower price for longer due to the pandemic.

However, Londoners spend less on energy compared to their counterparts in the rest of the UK due to warmer weather and smaller property sizes due to high housing costs, though they are of course still severely affected by inflation.

Meanwhile, London continues to see an uneven pattern of pay growth, with mostly high-paying jobs seeing the fastest wage growth, and lower-paying sectors seeing slower growth. Whilst sectors such as finance, ICT and science and technology have seen median pay grow by more than 17 per cent in London since 2019, sectors with low median pay have seen much smaller pay rises, which will likely be rendered as pay cuts in real terms when inflation is accounted for (Table 1).

Research from YouGov published last week (2) found 20 per cent of lower-income Londoners have regularly or occasionally gone without food or essential items or relied on outside support in the last six months. The number of Londoners being hit by the rising cost of living is also going up every month, with nearly a third saying they are ‘just about managing’ and almost one in five ‘financially struggling’.

Those being hit the hardest and most likely to say they are financially struggling are Asian and Black Londoners, those with an income of less than £20,000, renters and Deaf and Disabled Londoners.

Sadiq has suggested a range of measures the Government should implement now to ease the cost of living crisis for Londoners.

These include:

• The introduction of an energy ‘Lifeline Tariff’ for the most vulnerable Londoners, providing the minimum energy needed for a household to function for free, with any charges kicking in only once a minimum use threshold had been met. This would be a major step towards helping ensure people would not need to choose between heating and eating this winter.
• Introducing a two-year rent freeze for London’s 2.4m private renters, which would act as a first step towards devolving full rent control powers to cool London’s overheated private rental sector. City Hall analysis shows a rent freeze in the capital over two years would save renters an average of £2,988.
• Extending the provision of healthy free school meals to all primary school children during term-time with free meal vouchers available for those in most need during the school holidays. As well as helping all families with the cost of living, research shows that making free school meals universal helps reduce stigma and therefore boosts take up among families who need them most.
• Restoring the £20 Universal Credit uplift, which Ministers removed in September last year, pushing 130,000 more Londoners into poverty. The Mayor is also calling for all benefits to be raised in line with inflation and all caps to be removed to help cut poverty in London and across the UK.

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan said: “This new report shows in black and white that millions of low paid Londoners are living on the front line of the cost of living crisis.

“I’m doing all I can to support Londoners, but we need the Government to step up. This must include doing more on energy bills to ensure no one has to make the choice this winter of heating their home or eating, increasing benefits in line with inflation, and giving me the power to implement rent controls in London.

“Whoever becomes the next Prime Minister must make tackling the cost of living for Londoners – and people across the country – their top priority.”

The press release issued by the Mayor of London on 23 August 2022.

The press release issued by the Mayor of London on 23 August 2022.

City Hall will tonight (Tuesday 23) hold an event to commemorate the UNESCO International Day for Remembrance of the Transatlantic Slave Trade and its Abolition.

The fifth annual event, and the first to be held at City Hall’s new location at the Royal Docks, will remember the victims of the Transatlantic slave trade, reflect on its legacy, and honour those freedom fighters who fought for its abolition.

This year’s overarching theme is ‘decolonisation’ and will consider how we can best decolonise our history and ensure that the Transatlantic slave trade and its devastating, wide-ranging and ongoing impact is never forgotten.

This year’s event is in partnership with Sankofa Day and will be hosted by broadcaster Eddie Nestor MBE. The event will include speeches from Dr Debbie Weekes Bernard, Deputy Mayor for Communities and Social Justice; Dr Onkar Sahota, Chair of the London Assembly; and Gabriela Ramos, Assistant Director General of Social and Human Sciences at UNESCO.

The keynote speech will be given by Professor Verene Shepherd, Fellow of the Cambridge Commonwealth Society and Hon. Fellow, Jesus College, Cambridge. Prof. Shepherd is the first Jamaican/CARICOM citizen and the first Black woman of African descent in the African diaspora to chair the United Nations’ Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.

Other speakers and performers include Brixton born Irish-Jamaican spoken word artist Ragz-CV, the London Youth Assembly, music by jazz band Tomorrows Warriors, the South African Cultural Gospel Choir UK, and an art exhibition by Deanio X.

The event has been planned in conjunction with the Windrush Foundation, Slavery Remembrance, and Wanda Nation and will be broadcast online from 6pm.

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: “It is hugely important to remember and honour the millions who suffered as a result of the Transatlantic slave trade and the impact this has had on generations of Black communities here in London and worldwide. By bringing Londoners together for this event we provide an opportunity to reflect on the injustices of the slave trade, while learning about and celebrating all those who resisted and helped bring about change. We will also pay tribute to grassroots Black activist movements in present day and the work they are doing to improve our society.”

Deputy Mayor for Communities and Social Justice, Dr Debbie Weekes Bernard, said: “This event provides a significant opportunity for Londoners of all backgrounds to come together and learn about how the history of the capital connects to histories of enslavement. The impact of Transatlantic slavery shaped the London we live in today, so it is crucial that we deepen our understanding of the legacy and effects of this appalling practice. We must take the time to remember the millions who suffered and died, celebrate those who fought to bring about abolition, and acknowledge the lasting injustices that tragically continue to affect Black Londoners today.”

Director of the Windrush Foundation, Arthur Torrington CBE, said: “This is an annual commemoration that focusses on more than 12 million Africans who were trafficked and enslaved in the West Indies, Americas, and Europe from the 16th century. On 23 August, we come together and celebrate the men and women who resisted and campaigned for its abolition. Also, we vow to fight against all forms of racism and enslavement.”

The press release issued by the Mayor of London on 25 August 2022.

• Love London is the latest chapter of the Mayor’s Let’s Do London campaign and highlights some of the many unique things to love about life in the capital
• A takeover of the world-famous Piccadilly Lights, along with posters, cinema, radio, and social media adverts will carry a love letter to the city as people are invited to ‘make a date with London’
• New film, art and nature trails are part of the Mayor’s campaign to encourage Londoners to make the most of the many fantastic free and discounted things to enjoy in the city

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has today encouraged Londoners to discover their city anew as his tourism campaign sends a love letter to the capital.

Emotive adverts will be running across the Tube network, on posters and billboards, in cinemas, on the radio and all over social media in the coming months to promote some of the most exceptional aspects of life in the capital. There was also a 10-minute takeover of the famous Piccadilly Lights advertising boards yesterday morning encouraging people to ‘make a date with London’.

New film, art and nature trails have been created to help Londoners see their city with fresh eyes. In collaboration with Film London, ‘London film locations to love’ highlights 10 famous movie scenes that can be recreated, including from the multi-award winning features Four Weddings and a Funeral, Paddington, and Rocks. A Summer Art Trail, in partnership with TfL, Somerset House, Heart of London and North Bank BIDs, shows off the best contemporary public art and culture, such as Art on the Underground, Zarah Hussain’s Pop Geometry at St James’s Market and ‘This Bright Land’ at Somerset House. Not only that but four brand new nature trails will now provide scenic walking routes to connect natural spaces in some of the city’s most built up areas.

A new photography competition is also being launched in partnership with Time Out to encourage Londoners to share what they love about London, with the winners set to receive one of five exclusive experiences in the city and their photo featured on Piccadilly Lights.

The promotions are part of Love London – the latest chapter of the Mayor’s Let’s Do London campaign which has been encouraging people from London, the rest of the UK and around the world to visit Britain’s capital following the devastating impact of COVID-19 on its retail, cultural, hospitality and leisure industries.

Last year, the biggest domestic tourism campaign the capital had ever seen generated an additional £81m in expenditure and 330,000 more overnight visitors to the city giving the capital’s economy a much-needed boost. Earlier this year, the Mayor extended this campaign with a £7m investment to encourage international tourists back to London.

This summer, after a poll by City Hall showed that 40 per cent of Londoners don’t know of ways to enjoy London for free, the Mayor has been highlighting the wide range of free and cut-price events and activities available. He has also partnered with Art Fund to offer discounted access to museums and galleries while Transport for London has teamed up with Official London Theatre’s annual Kids Week initiative to release thousands more ‘kids go free’ tickets for a range of top West End shows.

2022 has already been an exceptional year for major events in the capital with The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations and the 50th Anniversary of Pride in London, and this Bank Holiday weekend will see the return of the world-renowned Notting Hill Carnival. Throughout September there are a range of free events and activities, including the Greenwich + Docklands Festival, Open House Festival, Totally Thames Festival, the 20th anniversary of the London Design Festival,  the inaugural Sculpture Week London and a range of events as part of Lewisham’s year as the London Borough of Culture.

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: “There is so much to love about London with our incredible cultural attractions, world-class shops, bars and restaurants, and, most importantly of all, the fantastic people who live here.

“That’s why London is the greatest city in the world and I’m proud my Let’s Do London campaign is encouraging everyone to enjoy the many varied and unique experiences our city has to offer.

 “I’m delighted that my tourism campaign has already generated tens of millions of pounds for our economy and attracted hundreds of thousands to our city and I want to encourage even more people to make the most of our capital as we build a better London for everyone.”

Director Richard Curtis said: “I’m delighted to support the Mayor’s Let’s do London campaign. London is such a great city to film in – things you write become twice as good because of wonderful places you can set your scenes.  I hope people will enjoy visiting the locations, remembering the scenes and relishing our great city.”

Adrian Wootton, Chief Executive of Film London and the British Film Commission, said: “London’s history, dynamism and unique cultural mix have inspired spellbinding films and TV shows throughout the years. And these productions have in turn led visitors from all over the world to spend time discovering our city. Screen tourism is becoming an essential part of London’s industry, with films like Notting Hill, Rocks and Paddington showcasing the city’s myriad locations and effectively providing global advertising that money just can’t buy. I’m delighted to extend this invitation to Londoners and visitors alike to come, re-live and re-love London all over again.”

Zarah Hussain, artist and winner of the Art of London Brighter Future R&D grant, said: “London is an amazing, multi-cultural city with people from all over the world and those visiting the Brighter Future exhibition will be able to discover and enjoy bright, colourful art on some of our busiest streets”

Harry Hill, comedian and judge of Art of London’s Brighter Future programme, said: “It’s been a pleasure working with these artists and seeing our visions of a ‘Brighter Future’ come to life through art. Join my quirky art tour, Harry Hill’s Alien Art Adventure to discover more about the wonderful works we’ve unveiled across the West End.”

Laura Citron, CEO of London & Partners which runs Visit London said: “London is buzzing with energy again and its fantastic to see Londoners and visitors from across the UK rediscovering their capital city. From art trails, exhibitions and festivals to our parks and theatre shows – there is something for everyone to enjoy in London these next few months, no matter their budget. Londoners play an important part in helping their city’s tourism and hospitality businesses bounce back by embracing the bars, restaurants and cultural attractions on their doorstep. There has never been a better time for Londoners to fall in love with the city they call home.”

Bernard Donoghue OBE , Director, Association of Leading Visitor Attractions (ALVA), said: “London just felt less ‘Londony’ when our amazing museums, galleries and theatres were closed; London’s diverse culture and amazingly rich cultural offering is what makes this city great. Exploring what we have on our doorstep, and beyond, the different villages and markets, nature trails and urban safari adventures that make up London is the perfect way to make a date with London. And you don’t even have to dress up, come as you are.”

The press release issued by the Mayor of London on 22 August 2022.

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has warned that low paid Londoners are being hit harder by the cost of living crisis than other parts of the UK, as new City Hall research suggests that London is experiencing faster underlying inflation in some areas.

The UK’s rate of inflation jumped to 10.1 per cent in July, the first time it has registered a double-digit annual increase in more than four decades, and Bank of England projections point to inflation accelerating further later this year. However, over the last six months, underlying inflation for local prices in London has consistently been found to track 1.5 percentage points higher than the national figure.

Rising local food costs is one of the key pressures pushing the capital’s underlying inflation above the national average. This will affect Londoners on the lowest incomes the hardest as they spend a larger proportion of their income on food.

London rental prices are also a major factor: the Rightmove Rental Price Tracker (1) indicates asking rents for new rentals in London are growing faster than anywhere else in the UK, up as much as 15.8 per cent annually in the last three months. This inflationary pressure will only grow as more people renew or move out of contracts that may have been kept at a lower price for longer due to the pandemic.

However, Londoners spend less on energy compared to their counterparts in the rest of the UK due to warmer weather and smaller property sizes due to high housing costs, though they are of course still severely affected by inflation.

Meanwhile, London continues to see an uneven pattern of pay growth, with mostly high-paying jobs seeing the fastest wage growth, and lower-paying sectors seeing slower growth. Whilst sectors such as finance, ICT and science and technology have seen median pay grow by more than 17 per cent in London since 2019, sectors with low median pay have seen much smaller pay rises, which will likely be rendered as pay cuts in real terms when inflation is accounted for (Table 1).

Research from YouGov published last week (2) found 20 per cent of lower-income Londoners have regularly or occasionally gone without food or essential items or relied on outside support in the last six months. The number of Londoners being hit by the rising cost of living is also going up every month, with nearly a third saying they are ‘just about managing’ and almost one in five ‘financially struggling’.

Those being hit the hardest and most likely to say they are financially struggling are Asian and Black Londoners, those with an income of less than £20,000, renters and Deaf and Disabled Londoners.

Sadiq has suggested a range of measures the Government should implement now to ease the cost of living crisis for Londoners.

These include:

The introduction of an energy ‘Lifeline Tariff’ for the most vulnerable Londoners, providing the minimum energy needed for a household to function for free, with any charges kicking in only once a minimum use threshold had been met. This would be a major step towards helping ensure people would not need to choose between heating and eating this winter.

Introducing a two-year rent freeze for London’s 2.4m private renters, which would act as a first step towards devolving full rent control powers to cool London’s overheated private rental sector. City Hall analysis shows a rent freeze in the capital over two years would save renters an average of £2,988.

Extending the provision of healthy free school meals to all primary school children during term-time with free meal vouchers available for those in most need during the school holidays. As well as helping all families with the cost of living, research shows that making free school meals universal helps reduce stigma and therefore boosts take up among families who need them most.
Restoring the £20 Universal Credit uplift, which Ministers removed in September last year, pushing 130,000 more Londoners into poverty. The Mayor is also calling for all benefits to be raised in line with inflation and all caps to be removed to help cut poverty in London and across the UK.

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan said: “This new report shows in black and white that millions of low paid Londoners are living on the front line of the cost of living crisis.

“I’m doing all I can to support Londoners, but we need the Government to step up. This must include doing more on energy bills to ensure no one has to make the choice this winter of heating their home or eating, increasing benefits in line with inflation, and giving me the power to implement rent controls in London.

“Whoever becomes the next Prime Minister must make tackling the cost of living for Londoners – and people across the country – their top priority.”

The press release issued by the Mayor of London on 11 August 2022.

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has today announced the latest recipients of a funding programme for community-led organisations that are supporting Londoners most affected by the pandemic and cost of living crisis.

The Civil Society Roots programme – a partnership between City Hall, the City of London Corporation’s charity funder, City Bridge Trust, and The National Lottery Community Fund – is providing grants of between £1,000 and £50,000 to organisations across 10 London boroughs.

The third round of grants from the £1m programme are designed to increase collaboration, commission research, recruit new staff, and invest in the resources the organisations need to support those across the capital most impacted by social inequalities, including Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic Londoners, disabled Londoners, LGBTQ+ Londoners, women and older Londoners.

Impact grants of up to £50,000 have been awarded to ten organisations to enable them to improve the reach and impact of their work.

They include Money A+E UK in Newham, an organisation that works with community groups to provide accessible, independent, and effective money advice and education. They will use some of the £49,999 funding they have been awarded to employ a Partnerships Manager so that more people affected by the rising cost of living can access immediate support and financial advice.

Empowering Deaf Society in Redbridge, an organisation which provides services to meet the needs of d/Deaf Londoners, will receive £49,874 to enable them to train staff in BSL, develop d/Deaf empowerment networks in the borough, and ultimately help more people in need.

Development grants of between £1,000 to £5,000 have been awarded to 21 organisations to allow them to research and test ideas, and build partnerships with other community groups.

They include Enfield Women’s Centre, who will research how a network of women’s groups in the borough could collaborate to amplify the voices of disadvantaged women and girls, and better reach decision makers.

The first two funding rounds have helped 24 organisations.

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: “Structural inequalities have long existed in the capital, but these have been exacerbated as Londoners contend with the dual impact of the pandemic and the ongoing cost of living crisis. I’m delighted that City Hall has partnered with the City Bridge Trust and The National Lottery Community Fund to fund community organisations supporting Londoners who are persistently disadvantaged in all major areas of life, including education, the labour market, housing, the environment, criminal justice, culture and health. By working together, we can build a better London for everyone – a safer, fairer, greener and more prosperous city for all.”

Deputy Mayor for Communities and Social Justice, Dr Debbie Weekes Bernard said: “The Civil Society Roots programme is one of many interventions City Hall is making to improve the lives of people impacted by inequalities across the capital. By funding community-led organisations, we can ensure those most in need of help are better able to access support especially as so many are struggling as a result of the rising cost of living. Every Londoner should have the opportunity to thrive.”

CEO and Co-Founder of Money A+E, Jerry During MBE, said: “We’re excited to have been awarded a grant under the Civil Society Roots 3 Programme, and look forward to starting work on it soon. The grant comes at a particularly busy time for us as we are facing an increase in the number of people approaching us for support and advice due to the Cost of Living Crisis and the after effects of COVID-19. Money A+E provides money advice & education to disadvantaged groups, Diverse Ethnic Communities (DEC) and young people-all of whom are disproportionately affected by the current situation as well as facing historic disadvantage. With this funding, we will hire a Partnership Manager to help us pull together a big partnership project in Newham. The aim is to be able to offer both accommodation and wrap around support for young people, ex-offenders, migrants and care leaver as well as a business hub space. Alongside financial capability and capacity building, we want to offer service users employability and personal wellbeing support to ensure that those we work with can develop independent living skills and realise their ambitions.”

Chair of The National Lottery Community Fund for England, John Mothersole, said: “We’re proud to be working alongside the Greater London Authority and City Bridge Trust to award this vital funding to community-led organisations in London, supporting them to develop their networks, increase their reach, and strengthen their voice.

“Thanks to National Lottery players, this funding – which builds on the previous two rounds of the Civil Society Roots programme – will help to build a stronger civil society in the capital, with a focus on supporting groups that are led by and for marginalised communities, enabling them to prosper and thrive.”

Chairman of the City Corporation’s charity funder, City Bridge Trust, Giles Shilson, said: “We’re proud to be providing £720,000 funding for this project to help make London a fairer, more equitable place. This fund will help the communities in London that need it most and strengthen the organisations best placed to make a difference. All the grantees announced today are taking practical steps towards tackling the systemic inequalities that still deny to so many people the opportunities in life that others take for granted.”