Projects including women’s-only boxing, free after school clubs, creative workshops for disabled people, and men’s mental health support groups have each been awarded up to £10,000 funding.

The money comes from the Neighbourhood Community Infrastructure Levy (NCIL), which was introduced by Barking and Dagenham Council in 2017 and requires developers in the borough to pay a fee as part of their legal agreement.

The funding from the ‘developer tax’ is made available to community and voluntary organisations, not-for-profit companies, registered charities, constituted organisations and social enterprises operating in Barking and Dagenham

Over the last six years, more than 120 groups have benefited from the innovative scheme, which uses a resident-led panel to decide how the money is spent in the style of a ‘Dragons Den’ pitch.

Councillor Saima Ashraf, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Community Leadership & Engagement, said: “We’re delighted to be able to support so many local projects by using money raised from developers. The funding shows how Barking and Dagenham can work for everyone and make sure no one is left behind by sharing the benefits throughout the borough.

“We believe residents know best what the area needs and should be able to play a role in shaping and improving where they live. That’s why we launched the Neighbourhood Community Infrastructure Levy, which puts the local people in power to decide how all the funding gets allocated.”

To mark the £1million mark being passed, an event was held on Monday 17 July at the Barking Learning Centre to showcase a series of videos celebrating local unsung heroes.

To find out more about the scheme, the projects supported and how to apply during the next round of funding, visit lbbd.gov.uk/council-and-democracy/get-involved/neighbourhood-fund