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TfL and the London Marathon Charitable Trust have awarded more than £416,000 of funding to 87 new projects run by community and not-for-profit groups, as part of the London Walking and Cycling Grants programme.
Walking and Cycling Grants London aims to encourage more people to walk and cycle. The projects target a wide range of traditionally underrepresented groups such as people with disabilities, from minority ethnic backgrounds, homeless people, refugees, and asylum seekers. Funding has been awarded to schemes covering 31 boroughs and the City of London.
Since it began, TfL’s Walking and Cycling Grants London programme has supported 251 projects in every borough, encouraging more than 44,000 participants across London to walk and cycle.
New projects awarded funding this year include:
– Black, Asian and minority ethnic Group Walk and Talk – Therapy4 Healing, Croydon, Greenwich, Lewisham, and Southwark – Fortnightly walks that support people from ethnic minorities, women, refugees and asylum seekers to improve physical and mental health and encourage social integration. There will also be walks to help people learn English for speakers and talks for asylum seekers and refugees
– DeafClub.London – ELREM Foundation, Newham – Deaf people will have the opportunity to gain skills and confidence in cycling and walking in deaf-led walking and cycling sessions
– UpCycling – Young Lewisham Project – Weekly bike maintenance sessions, group rides in half term and fitness sessions for young people not in education, employment or training and young people from disadvantaged backgrounds
– Girls Do Tours – Heritage in Havering- The NO Collective, Havering – Walking tours for people over the age of 60 and those living with disabilities, enabling them to get active, meet other people and learn about local history
– Build Your Ride – Hammersmith and Fulham Cycling, Hammersmith and Fulham – Cycling and bike maintenance for women, ethnic minority groups and those from disadvantaged backgrounds. Activities will include Saturday and Sunday organised bike rides, as well as build a bike workshops that will allow people to build their own bikes
– Aspirational walks – Unseen Tours, central and inner London boroughs – Walking tours by former homeless guides to refugees and asylum seekers, the homeless, and people from disadvantaged backgrounds to help their mental health
Read more: British Cycling’s acting CEO Danielle Every to leave organisation
Will Norman, London’s walking and cycling commissioner, said: “We’ve seen a huge rise in walking and cycling in recent years as more and more Londoners choose sustainable ways to travel around the capital. The grants awarded by TfL to community groups across London will help support people from all backgrounds to walk and cycle – which is a vital part of building a better, greener London for everyone.”
