A new network of 30 community spaces will be created across London following a £1.8 million investment by the Mayor of London and the National Lottery

Community Fund, aimed at tackling rising loneliness, social isolation and growing division both online and on the streets.

The initiative, announced today by Sadiq Khan, will see venues across the capital receive funding and long-term support to host events, provide advice and offer safe, welcoming places for people from all backgrounds to connect with one another.

Community centres, once a cornerstone of neighbourhood life, have declined sharply over the past decade. New figures show that local authority-run community spaces fell by almost 10 a year between 2018 and 2023. Yet public appetite for these shared spaces remains strong. New polling reveals that 73 per cent of Londoners believe community centres are important, although only 12 per cent currently visit their local centre. More than half of respondents said they would be more likely to attend if a wider range of activities were available.

Welcoming the announcement, the Mayor said community centres have always played a vital role in London life and should once again become “a powerful force for good” in neighbourhoods across the city.

The new network will form part of the Mayor’s Loved and Wanted Community Fund, which focuses on strengthening social ties and bringing together people of different backgrounds, cultures and faiths. The spaces will host a wide range of activities, including mentoring programmes, weekly drop-in sessions, community meals and support with digital inclusion.

Additional services will include mental health and wellbeing support, English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) classes, multilingual advice, and specialist provision for people with SEND and disabilities. The aim is to make it easier for Londoners to become active participants in their communities, regardless of age, background or circumstance.

Supporters of the programme say face-to-face community engagement is more important than ever at a time when misinformation, fear and hatred can spread rapidly online. By creating welcoming spaces in real neighbourhoods, the fund aims to rebuild trust, strengthen relationships and reduce social fragmentation.

The Loved and Wanted campaign, launched last year, has already worked with more than 140 organisations across London. It has previously distributed over £985,000 to community groups in every borough, including backing the Mayor’s Community Weekend, which saw 200 local organisations host events to bring Londoners together.

With the launch of this new network, City Hall hopes to reverse the decline of community spaces and ensure that every Londoner has access to a place where they feel supported, connected and valued. 

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: “I’m proud to announce the creation of a new network of community spaces that will bring Londoners from all backgrounds together. London is the greatest city in the world because of the incredible people who live here, but we’re seeing loneliness and social division on the rise, and a weakening of the bonds that unite us as communities.

“Our sense of social cohesion is being put to the test like never before, and the lack of integration makes it harder for people from different backgrounds to understand each other.

“Access to community spaces can offer an important space for people to come together, learn from one another and a place to turn to for advice and support. Community centres were always at the heart of many London neighbourhoods and I want to restore them as a powerful force for good across London.

“By joining with the National Lottery Community Fund, we’re taking pro-active steps to build stronger and more integrated communities – working to grow social ties and bonds of trust between people of all backgrounds.”

The National Lottery Community Fund’s England Director Phil Chamberlain said: “London’s diversity is its lifeblood; the city can be very proud of that. As the UK’s largest champion of community-led change, we’re proud to partner with the Mayor of London to help bring people together and build stronger, more inclusive communities across the capital. 

“This truly life-changing funding will enable an invaluable network of local spaces that support communities to build trust, help one another, find solidarity, and forge the connections that make our communities a force for good.”

Vicki Amedume, Co-CEO of The Albany, said: "At The Albany, we see how essential trusted community spaces are to bringing people together and supporting local wellbeing. This new network recognises the vital role venues like ours play in strengthening communities at a time when connection matters more than ever. This investment will help ensure that community spaces remain open, welcoming, and responsive to the needs of Londoners”

Geethika Jayatilaka, chief executive London Plus, said: “London should be a place where all Londoners feel they belong and are a part of the community and we welcome the investment being made by the Loved and Wanted Fund into community buildings and activities that will help Londoners feel welcome. At London Plus, we see first-hand how London’s charities and community groups play a critical role in strengthening communities and this funding will enable a network of 30 centres to develop their vital work -  bringing people together and contributing to a stronger, united London where everyone can thrive.”

Mustafa Field OBE, director at Faiths Forum for London, said: "We are living through a period where fear and division can too easily take root, leaving some communities feeling isolated or unheard. Investing in trusted community spaces is essential to rebuilding connection, strengthening understanding, and ensuring London remains a city where everyone feels they belong.” Photo by Adrian Pingstone, Wikimedia commons.