Elephant & Castle

The company, which is regenerating Elephant & Castle and is the council’s development partner, has kick started the fund with £25,000 and has plans to grow this investment.

Lend Lease will continue to invest in the fund for next three years and will work with the community to secure match funding and income from business and government to enable the fund to grow over the life of the development.

Community groups and projects that are helping to address important local issues such as education, skills training and entrepreneurship, arts and culture, safety, health and wellbeing and the environment are being invited to bid for funding from 1st June 2012.

The London Community Foundation (LCF) will manage the allocation of funding and priority will be given to groups and projects based in the immediate neighbourhood of Elephant & Castle.

Lend Lease is working closely with Southwark Council to ensure that the money will support a range of activities to meet community needs and complement other grants and community funds available in the area.

Lend Lease’s Project Director for Elephant and Castle, Rob Deck said:
“We are committed to regenerating Elephant & Castle and we want to support local people. The community fund will help community groups and projects to make small changes now that, in the near future, will have a big impact.

“Elephant & Castle is full of life and vitality, and the regeneration projects in the area are a great opportunity for local people. We want our development to leave a financial legacy for the community, as well as creating a thriving and sustainable place that new and existing residents can enjoy.”

The community fund is part of Lend Lease’s commitment to act as a catalyst for the wider regeneration of Elephant & Castle. Lend Lease is also providing job and training opportunities for local people through its industry training programme BeOnsite, leading community forums and consultation, and working with the community to create positive interim uses for the Heygate site during the construction phase.

The aspiration is to build towards a £1m fund on the completion of the regeneration of Elephant & Castle. The community can then use the income generated from this fund year on year to support community projects.

For further information on how to bid for funding, visit LCF's website here (application forms will be available on the LCF site from 1st June).

The deadline for entries is 20 July 2012. A panel made up of representatives from Lend Lease, Southwark Council and the community will meet once a year to select projects which the fund will support. The first meeting will take place in August 2012.

For more information please email website@elephantandcastle.org.uk