Key Points
- Grants totalling £650,000 have been announced for 10 innovative projects across Hackney through the latest round of the Hackney Community Fund.
- Funding originates from charges placed on new developments when they secure planning permission, supporting local charities, voluntary groups, community interest companies, and social enterprises.
- Projects focus on youth development, environmental action, mental health support, and reducing social isolation, using arts, culture, and the environment to unite communities and deliver lasting benefits.
- Ministry of Stories receives funding to expand its free weekly Community Writing Lab in Hoxton, mentoring up to 200 young people annually and extending the age range to 6-18.
- EcoACTIVE launches “Connecting Nature, Connecting People,” a nature recovery programme training residents and improving biodiversity across six sites.
- Hackney School of Food delivers “Together at the Table,” a multi-generational food and wellbeing programme using cooking, gardening, and shared meals to support around 2,250 residents.
- Laburnum Boat Club provides canal access for adults facing mental health challenges and low incomes, including a weekly mental health club and free canoe places.
- Hackney Shed offers weekly inclusive theatre workshops for young people aged 7-16 with and without Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND), leading to an annual production.
- Millfields Park Users’ Group creates an inclusive, community-led skate space in South Millfields Park for all ages and abilities.
- The Peter Bedford Housing Association establishes the Kingsland “Lifeline” Hub, a choice-based pantry addressing food insecurity and social isolation, linking over 150 households to essential support services.
- Made in Hackney implements “Stronger Communities for Climate Action,” a year-long project uniting residents through food, sustainability, and collective climate action.
- Core Arts supports 150 NHS-referred adults aged 50+ with severe mental health needs via the “Creative Inclusion” project, offering creative education in arts, music, gardening, and sports.
- Intergenerational Music Making sets up four intergenerational hubs across Hackney to tackle loneliness and promote social cohesion through music and creative health.
- This is the second round of the Hackney Community Fund, following the first round in 2022 which funded a community garden in Homerton for mental well-being, a permanent home for a youth theatre company serving Hackney for decades, and celebrations of African and African-Caribbean heritage at Dalston CLR James Library.
- Funding decisions were based on criteria including deliverability, community support, value for money, and long-term impact.
- Councillor Guy Nicholson, Deputy Mayor and Cabinet Member for Housing and Regeneration, welcomed the investments as a way to channel developer contributions back into the community.
Hackney (East London Times) February 18, 2026 – Hackney Council has approved £650,000 in grants for 10 innovative community projects aimed at fostering unity and addressing key social challenges through arts, culture, and environmental initiatives. The funding, drawn from developer contributions via planning permissions, supports a diverse array of local organisations delivering tangible benefits to residents. This second round of the Hackney Community Fund builds directly on the successes of its 2022 predecessor, reinforcing the borough’s commitment to inclusive growth.
What Projects Received Funding?
The 10 projects span youth mentoring, nature recovery, food security, mental health access, and intergenerational cohesion, each designed to leverage creative and environmental elements for community impact.
Ministry of Stories is expanding its free weekly Community Writing Lab in Hoxton to mentor up to 200 young people annually, with the age range now extended to 6-18, providing a vital space for creative expression and skill-building among the borough’s youth.
EcoACTIVE’s “Connecting Nature, Connecting People” initiative will train residents and enhance biodiversity across six sites, promoting environmental stewardship as a means to strengthen social bonds.
Hackney School of Food’s “Together at the Table” programme targets around 2,250 residents through multi-generational activities in cooking, gardening, and shared meals, emphasising food as a pathway to wellbeing.
Laburnum Boat Club gains support to offer canal access for adults experiencing mental health challenges and those on low incomes, featuring a weekly mental health club alongside free canoe places to encourage outdoor therapeutic engagement.
Hackney Shed will run weekly inclusive theatre workshops for young people aged 7-16, both with and without Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND), culminating in an annual production that showcases participant talents.
Millfields Park Users’ Group plans an inclusive, community-led skate space in South Millfields Park, open to all ages and abilities, fostering physical activity and social interaction in a public green space.
The Peter Bedford Housing Association is establishing the Kingsland “Lifeline” Hub, a choice-based pantry to combat food insecurity and social isolation, connecting over 150 households to essential support services.
Made in Hackney’s “Stronger Communities for Climate Action” is a year-long effort uniting residents via food, sustainability practices, and collective climate action, aligning environmental goals with community resilience.
Core Arts’ “Creative Inclusion” project aids 150 NHS-referred adults aged 50+ with severe mental health needs, delivering education in arts, music, gardening, and sports to promote recovery and inclusion.
Intergenerational Music Making will establish four hubs across Hackney, using music and creative health activities to address loneliness and enhance social cohesion between age groups.
How Was the Funding Awarded?
Awards were determined by rigorous assessment against key criteria: deliverability, community support, value for money, and long-term impact, ensuring only the most viable and beneficial proposals advanced.
This process underscores the fund’s emphasis on sustainable, community-backed initiatives that extend beyond short-term gains, with each project vetted for its potential to create enduring positive change in Hackney.
The total pot of £650,000 reflects contributions from developers through the planning system, a mechanism designed to redistribute benefits from new builds directly to local needs.
What Did Councillor Guy Nicholson Say?
As reported in the official Hackney Council announcement, Councillor Guy Nicholson, Deputy Mayor and Cabinet Member for Housing and Regeneration, stated:
“The Hackney Community Fund channels money raised from developers building in the borough and is for investing back into the community. This second round of the fund is investing £650,000 into 10 arts and culture-led activities that bring residents together, create profound opportunities and build relationships.”
Councillor Nicholson further noted:
“This second round builds on the success of the first round of the Hackney Community Fund, which supported a range of inspirational projects that have made a profound, positive and lasting difference to the lives of many residents from across the borough.”
He added:
“Thanks to all who submitted an application proposing a project but to all those who on this occasion did not succeed the Council is determined to release a round three of the Fund and when it does it will be promoted.”
The councillor concluded:
“The Hackney Community Fund has been formed by using cash payments paid by developers through the planning system. The Fund provides the opportunity for residents and local organisations to work together to build strong communities and make sure that the benefit of new development in the borough is felt by everyone and that a growing Hackney always puts local residents first.”
What Was the First Round of Funding Like?
The inaugural Hackney Community Fund round in 2022, as detailed in the council’s announcement linking to prior coverage, allocated £500,000 to various projects including a community garden in Homerton that promotes mental well-being.
That round also provided a permanent home for a youth theatre company that has served Hackney’s young people for decades, ensuring continuity for performing arts education.
Additionally, it funded celebrations of African and African-Caribbean heritage at Dalston CLR James Library, highlighting cultural preservation and community pride.
These efforts set a benchmark for the current round, demonstrating the fund’s capacity to deliver measurable, positive outcomes across diverse community segments.
Why Does This Matter for Hackney’s Communities?
Hackney’s diverse population, facing pressures from rapid development, benefits immensely from initiatives that prioritise social cohesion amid growth.
By redirecting developer levies into grassroots projects, the fund ensures equitable distribution of prosperity, tackling isolation, mental health, and environmental concerns head-on.
As the borough evolves, such investments signal a proactive approach to inclusive regeneration, where arts and nature serve as bridges between generations and socioeconomic groups.
How Will These Projects Impact Residents?
Youth like those at Ministry of Stories and Hackney Shed gain mentorship and creative outlets, potentially steering them from vulnerability towards opportunity.
Older adults and those with mental health needs, supported by Core Arts, Laburnum Boat Club, and Intergenerational Music Making, find pathways to reconnection and recovery.
Environmental and food-focused efforts from EcoACTIVE, Made in Hackney, and The Peter Bedford Housing Association address pressing issues like biodiversity loss and insecurity, enhancing daily lives.
The skate space and multi-generational dining initiatives promote accessibility and shared experiences, weaving a stronger social fabric across Hackney’s neighbourhoods.
