We’re thrilled to announce we have received a share of £9.5million of National Lottery funding to help recover from the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic. 

The £50,000 grant has been awarded through the Covid-19 Community-Led Organisations Recovery Scheme (CCLORS). The scheme is led by independent trust Power to Change in partnership with Locality, The Ubele Initiative and Social Investment Business, and was part of The National Lottery Community Fund’s Coronavirus Community Support Fund, that launched in May this year. 

Since receiving the grant, Theatre Peckham has been able to stabilise the initial phase of our strategy to deliver a blended programme of in-person and online activity right in the heart of our community. 

Being in lockdown has been tough on everyone’s mental health and the creative economy is well placed to provide respite. Our theatre is firmly rooted within its community and with the fund supporting our re-opening back in September, we have been working hard to combat the fear that a high number of people from culturally diverse backgrounds will be forced to leave the industry, resulting in long-term loss and undoing the vital impact which we have made over the years.

Our plan set out a staged return, providing the lowest-cost path to re-energising the young people in our community. It responds to funding commitments we already have, supports freelance artists and small-scale emerging partner companies and looks towards building a sustainable future. 

In total, 302 community-led organisations have received a total of £9.5million through CCLORS to help recover from the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic. The total includes 205 community organisations led by, or that support, Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) communities.

Grants of up to £100,000 have been awarded to community-led organisations in England facing severe financial difficulties as a direct result of the coronavirus lockdown. It has helped them to launch health and wellbeing projects, develop digital education workshops and continue providing vital services for their communities.  

Vidhya Alakeson, CEO of Power to Change, said: “Whilst Covid-19 has had a devastating impact on people right across the country, it has disproportionately affected Black, Asian and minority ethnic communities. By bringing together this strategic partnership, we’ve ensured this much-needed financial support is reaching those communities that need it most.”