With the 400^th anniversary of the Mayflower setting sail from Rotherhithe just over a year away, British Land, in partnership with Southwark Council and United St Saviour’s Charity, has announced the recipients of the first round of grants being allocated through the Southwark Mayflower 400 Grants Fund.

The programme aims to enable local community groups to deliver a range of exciting and inclusive projects and activities which allow the whole community to commemorate the 400 year anniversary of the Mayflower setting sail from Rotherhithe. The programmes provides small (under £1000) and more substantive grants (over £1,000) for projects which take place within the SE16 area, and parts of SE1 with a Mayflower connection, across 2019 and 2020.

So far, £79,540 of the total £140,000 pot has been awarded to a diverse range of projects, many of which run over two years, such as:

• Club Herop’s photojournalism project for local young people;
• Art in the Park’s project on Prince Lee Boo with the Cavendish school;
• Bermondsey Artists Group’s two-year community multi-media programme;
• A map of places on interest for the Mayflower;
• Part of the Illuminate Rotherhithe festival;
• And a number of local historical tasks and events run by the Bermondsey and Rotherhithe History Society.

The next round opens on 1 May 2019 and there is still plenty of funding left so we encourage anyone else with an idea to apply. Smaller and volunteer-run community groups are encouraged to consider applying. Support in developing your idea is also available from United Saint Saviour’s via the contact details on their website.

Applications for round two of the programme are being accepted until 30 June 2019 through the United St Saviour’s Charity website. To apply and for more information on the application process and grant eligibility, visit here.

Congratulations to all the successful bids so far and thank you to everyone who took the time to submit entries!

Background to the Mayflower

By 1620 the Mayflower was already a well-travelled vessel, having been a merchant ship for many years. She was procured and berthed in Rotherhithe, her home port, for provisioning and preparations before her long journey. She sailed from Rotherhithe in July 1620, with the English contingent of passengers on board, to join the Speedwell, coming from Holland with the Leiden contingent, at Southampton. The Speedwell and Mayflower set off together but had to turn back when Speedwell sprang a serious leak and the ships were forced to put in at Plymouth to regroup. Passengers and provisions were crowded onto Mayflower and the ship, now carrying around 150 passengers and crew, including the Pilgrim Fathers, set off again on 6 September 1620.