People Powered Places: The Stories

It’s a wrap for the 2023-2025 cycle of Newham’s People Powered Places programme, which engaged communities from across the borough in deciding how local funds were spent in their neighbourhoods.

A total of £1.6m was allocated to the programme with £200,000 designated for each of the borough’s eight Community Neighbourhood areas. The Royal Docks Team contributed an additional £80,000 to support initiatives in Beckton, the Royal Docks, Custom House and Canning Town. Residents shaped the programme from the outset, identifying local priorities, proposing ideas, applying for funding and voting for the projects they wanted to see delivered.

Across the Royal Docks’ neighbourhoods, over 100 project applications were submitted, nearly double the number received in the previous cycle, with a record number of local people directly engaging in deciding how funding was allocated. The Royal Docks Team was delighted to support the 33 local projects chosen by residents, which ranged from basketball coaching and barber training to community kitchens and creative hubs.

Here are some of the incredible stories of the people powering the Royal Docks!

These stories feature firsthand testimonials and experiences from residents and project leads, spotlighting the remarkable impact of the projects on local residents and the wider community. They are diverse, inspiring accounts of change, progress, and empowerment.