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SkyWay Charity at Lee Valley White Water Centre

Authority funds 3,000+ community experiences in 2024

Release date: 

11 December 2024

Lee Valley Regional Park Authority’s grant and community funding schemes help pay for thousands of visits to its park and venues each year. In 2024 it funded more than 3,250 experiences – from inner London community tennis, women’s cycling groups, young carers rafting sessions and horse riding to support mental health.

The Authority has also covered the cost of school transport to enable dozens of school groups to take part in outdoor learning, forest schools, discovery and sensory days within the park’s 10,000 acres of open spaces.


This year we have worked with partners including Enfield Dementia Care and Haven House Children’s Hospice to create bespoke programmes of activity to enrich the lives of people they support.


Lee Valley Regional Park Authority increased its support for community groups and schools this year. A £120,000 funding pot has enabled us to help more communities across London, Essex and Hertfordshire enjoy active experiences throughout Lee Valley Regional Park. 64% of those supported came from deprived backgrounds, a good indicator of our commitment to break down barriers for people and communities who, for reasons of cost or circumstance, may not otherwise be able to visit Lee Valley Regional Park and take advantage of the diverse opportunities it offers.


From aged 6 to 80 years young and with 29% of participants living with a disability - memorable and active experiences have been funded this year for a wide range of people. Here’s just a few examples of group’s we’ve supported to take part in almost 200 sessions in 2024.

  • Kayaking, rafting and inflatable wipe out sessions at Lee Valley White Water Centre for Harrow Looked After Children, Broxbourne’s Teens Unite and SkyWay Charity in Hackney

  • BMX Cycling at Lee Valley VeloPark for Uniting Friends of Redbridge

  • Ice skating at Lee Valley Ice Centre for Kingston and Richmond’s Achieving for Children

  • A River and Lakes Discovery Day for children from St Mary’s School in Stansted

Our three London 2012 venues were built to ensure sustained Olympic legacy, and 90% of their programmes are dedicated to community, schools and clubs. Hundreds of visits have been funded this year to enable people to follow in the footsteps of their Olympic heroes – whether on the track, the field, the court or in the water.


Our Active Communities Grant Scheme and Community Access Fund give financial support to community and school groups to pay for travel to or activities within the park, helping make Lee Valley Regional Park accessible to all. Find out more about these funding schemes here.

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