London launches 30 community hubs to unite residents

Sadiq Khan and the National Lottery Community Fund invest £1.8m to tackle loneliness across the capital city. 

The initiative was announced on the same day a poll revealed that while 73% of Londoners believe community centres are important, only 12% have visited their local hall or centre. 

More than half of respondents (55%) said additional activities would encourage them to attend.

The funding will support spaces offering mentoring, drop-in sessions, community meals. digital inclusion support, English language lessons and assistance for people with SEND and disabilities. 

The money comes from the mayor’s Loved and Wanted Community Fund, first launched in 2025 as part of the Loved and Wanted Campaign. 

News of the community spaces couldn’t have come at a better time. Recent figures show council-run community spaces have fallen by almost 10 a year between 2018 and 2023.

‘I’m proud to announce the creation of a new network of community spaces that will bring Londoners from all backgrounds together,’ Khan said. ‘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 unit 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.’

‘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,’ he continued. 

Phil Chamberlain, England director at The National Lottery Community Fund, 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.’

Image: Giammarco Boscaro/UnSplash 

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