The London Dock Community Fund, launched by St George, part of Berkeley Group, in partnership with the East End Community Foundation (EECF), is celebrating ten years of supporting local projects around this 14.4-acres brownfield regeneration project. As it marks this milestone, the Fund is now open for applications for its 2025 round of funding.
Since 2014, the Fund has awarded more than £208,000 in grants to 99 community projects across Wapping, Shadwell and the wider Tower Hamlets area. Over 8,000 residents have benefited from activities funded by the initiative, ranging from drama classes and community gardening to health and wellbeing projects. Over 2,000 people have taken part in community activities and over 1,000 people experienced improved physical, mental and emotional health, as well as a sense of belonging.
The fund was set up by St George as part of their wider commitment to support and strengthen the community around their 14.4-acres London Dock brownfield regeneration site. This project is seeing the former News International print works transformed into a vibrant new neighbourhood with 2,038 mixed-tenure homes — including 585 affordable homes — alongside 180,000 sq ft of commercial space, a new civic square, and six acres of landscaped public spaces.
The Grade II listed Pennington Street Warehouse will be restored and opened to the public for the first time in 200 years, and the development will create 1,500 jobs and 65 apprenticeships. The new Mulberry Academy London Dock sixth-form entry secondary school and sixth form college has also been created on the site, with 1,200 local students.
Marcus Blake, Managing Director of St George, said: “Ten years ago London Dock was known as “Fortress Wapping” and was completely cut off from the local community behind high walls and security gates. We’re extremely proud to have open the site up and made it a place where local people live, learn and come enjoy their free time. The Community Fund has been a hugely effective way to engage with the wider community and ensure those in greatest need benefit from our long-term investment in Tower Hamlets.”
Jaspal Bansal, Grants Manager at East End Community Foundation, said: “The London Dock Community Fund has provided sustained support to charities in Wapping and Shadwell for over 10 years, helping to make the area a better place to live, work and visit. As a result, 28 groups have supported more than 8,000 residents through activities ranging from drama clubs to community gardens. I’m delighted to see the fund’s long-term impact in strengthening the local community and enhancing the area.”
To mark the Fund’s anniversary, a celebration event was held at Berkeley Group’s development, London Dock, bringing together St George, EECF, community leaders and beneficiaries to highlight the impact of the programme over the past decade.
Purple Moon Drama, a long-term beneficiary of the Fund, shared their journey and the significant impact of receiving their first grant in 2014, which enabled them to expand their work providing drama classes and training for children and residents in Wapping, fostering creativity and opportunity in the local community.
