On Monday 3 July, people from over 40 projects involved in the Royal Borough of Greenwich’s Community Innovation Grant programme came together in the Woolwich Centre to celebrate the success of the programme.
Over the last year we have funded 75 projects that have worked with over 10,000 residents, including over 2,000 children and young people, in the borough. The projects involved work with communities known to be at higher risk of poor mental health and health inequalities, focussing on things such as social connection and support accessing services.
Launched in 2022, the Community Innovation Grant programme supports projects that tackle unfair differences in health and positively impact the mental health and wellbeing of our residents.
The funding forms part of our ongoing commitment to work closely with grassroots and voluntary organisations that support the most vulnerable in the borough.
During the celebration event, we heard a summary of the brilliant achievements of the programme, as well as a word from the Mayor of the Royal Borough of Greenwich, Cllr Dominic Mbang, and a few of the projects presented about their successes as a result of the funding.
Cllr Denise Scott-McDonald, Cabinet Member for Health and Adults’ Social Care said: “Our Community Innovation Grant programme has made a huge impact in the last 18 months, funding local projects which have been doing vital work to support a broad range of our communities known to be at higher risk of poor mental health and health inequalities.
“Over the last 18 months we’ve all seen the lasting damage that COVID-19 has done, and coupled with a cost-of-living crisis, supporting residents’ mental health has never been more important.
“One of Our Greenwich missions is to develop networks with local organisations to tackle the big issues together, and our Community Innovation Grants have allowed us to reach the whole breadth of the borough to make sure support is offered to those who need it in a way that suits them.”
