The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, has pledged £285,000 to local community projects as part of his £9m High Street Fund, including £10,000 to the Peckham Coal Line, which aims to transform disused railway sidings into a new 1km stretch of green space.

The High Street Fund, launched in March, is re-energising the capital’s high streets by embracing the city’s incredible talent for creativity and innovation. This is the first time the Mayor of a major European city has used a civic crowdfunding website to directly pledge money to community projects.

The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, said: “The eclectic range of projects I have seen over the course of the High Street Fund is a remarkable testament to the creativity and enterprise of Londoners, and I’m delighted to announce pledges towards 20 of those today.

“The Peckham Coal Line project is a fantastic example of how we can harness the enthusiasm of civic crowdfunding and work more directly with Londoners to improve their neighbourhoods. I urge you to go online and help your local project reach their total.”