The event brought together local people and grassroots groups whose inspirational work has been supported by Peabody’s Thamesmead Community Fund. Peabody has invested more than £450,000 in 164 local projects since the fund opened in 2018. The fund is on track to reach the £500,000 investment milestone later this year.
Applicants can apply for up to £3,000 to support community and cultural projects aiming to bring local people together, improve health and wellbeing, or teach people new skills. Projects previously funded include exercise classes, creative workshops, wildlife walks, day trips and support sessions for people with additional needs.
Event attendees learnt more about the collective impact of their work and had an opportunity to connect with each other. They were also the first people to receive a copy of Peabody’s latest publication, The Power of Community: Funding Local Projects in Thamesmead. The publication highlights Peabody’s commitment and approach to funding community-led projects and encourages others to apply.
Download The Power of Community
Supporting community-led initiatives is a key part of Peabody’s plan to improve, grow and look after Thamesmead for the long term. As its name suggests, the fund puts the local community at its heart. Money is earmarked for Thamesmead-based projects, funding decisions are made by a panel of local people, and many recipients run projects at low or no cost from the community buildings and outdoor spaces Peabody owns and manage.
Thamesmead Community Fund is financed by the Peabody Community Foundation (PCF) and from revenue from film and photography shoots organised by Peabody’s culture team in Thamesmead. During 2025/26, the fund was supplemented by Lovell, who are developing the second phase of homes in South Thamesmead.
Esther Sesay is CEO of the Javan Coker Foundation. She applied to the Thamesmead Community Fund after setting up her charity to support children with additional needs and their families. Her charity has grown over the years, with more than 400 people now on their books.
Esther said: “If we hadn’t had the support, we would not have been able to get to this point. The funding has given me and a lot of my colleagues the opportunity to grow, to work, to support in a way we could not have otherwise.”
Gez Kellaghan, Community Investment Manager at Peabody, said: “Across Thamesmead, local people and grassroots organisations are doing incredible things for their communities. This event is our way of recognising their energy and enthusiasm, and their work to help people feel positive about the place they call home.”
Lisa Drew, Senior Cultural Programme Manager at Peabody, added: “Thamesmead Community Fund is all about supporting creativity, culture and connection across communities. Through it, we’re enabling people to feel that Thamesmead is a place for them. With money from professional location shoots flowing into brilliant local initiatives, we’re helping even more great ideas take root.”
The latest round of the Thamesmead Community Fund is open until 11:59pm on 21 May 2026. All funding applications are administered on Peabody’s behalf by the London Community Fund.
