A total of 22 boroughs are bidding to become the London Borough of Culture, one in 2019 and one in 2020. The winners, who will have the opportunity to receive support from HLF, will be announced by the Mayor of London in Spring 2018.

From Camden to Croydon, Hounslow to Havering, National Lottery players have helped to transform the historic fabric of London. Here’s just a few of the projects we’ve supported so far:

Barking & Dagenham

Valence House Museum, the only surviving manor house in Dagenham, tells the story of the borough’s residents throughout the ages.

Bexley

Bexley’s Lesnes Abbey Woods, awarded almost £3.5million, is a perfect spot for fossil hunting thanks to its Eocene beds.

Brent

Grunwick 40 commemorated the Grunswick strike in 1976, when six workers walked out of Grunwick Film Processing Laboratory in Willesden, igniting a two-year dispute to demand better rights for workers.

Camden

From the British Library to Sir John Soane Museum, there are a lot of heritage feathers in Camden’s cap. We awarded £10m to the British Museum to carry out the biggest redevelopment in its history.

Croydon

The Fairfield Collection captured the physical and intangible history of Fairfield Halls in central Croydon, in the face of the local landmark’s closure.

Ealing

Ealing is home to architect Sir John Soane's 'dream house', Pitzhanger Manor House. A project to completely restore the building and improve visitor facilities secured £4.4m.

Enfield

Almost £2m was awarded for the restoration of the Grade II listed Forty Hall parkland and gardens. The estate is associated many English monarchs, including Elizabeth I and Henry VII.

Greenwich

The Cutty Sark was conserved and displayed thanks to a £25m National Lottery grant. Built in 1869, she is the last surviving tea clipper was the fastest ship of her era.

Hammersmith & Fulham

Fulham Palace, the historic house and garden of the Bishop of London since 704, has received support for its restoration with a grant of £1.8m.

Haringey

Haringey is home to London’s iconic Alexandra Palace, which received HLF support to transform its eastern end, including BBC studios and Victorian theatre.

Havering

The easternmost entrant, Havering, has won funding for its stunning natural heritage, including the Land of the ‘Fanns’, the historic marshy landscape covering the London/ Essex borderlands.

Hounslow

The 186 acre Gunnersbury Park, managed by Hounslow and Ealing Councils, secured funding to restore and improve the public space for the whole community.

Islington

Islington Council is creating a major new archive of the borough’s extensive LGBT+ heritage, collecting, archiving and sharing material from community.

Kingston

Dating back to the 14th century and featuring remains of a much earlier Norman church, All Saints Church in Kingston was the coronation site of Saxon kings.

Lambeth

Lambeth’s HLF-supported Garden Museum tracks 400 years of digging, growing, pruning and picking.

Lewisham

The much-loved Horniman Museum and Gardens is working on a new Global Gallery, having previously been awarded funding to increase public access to more of its collections.

Merton

A green oasis in the city, Morden Hall Park was transformed with National Lottery funding to celebrate its industrial and natural heritage.

Newham

Newham-based Eastside Community Heritage has explored various aspects of East London’s heritage, including boxers and the establishment of the NHS.

Redbridge

Redbridge features 300-year old Valentines Mansion, which, after standing empty for 15 years, was restored thanks to National Lottery players.

Southwark

The Grade II listed Peckham Road Fire Station is set to be transformed into a new cultural centre, after being left to the South London Gallery by an anonymous benefactor.

Tower Hamlets

The world’s oldest surviving music hall can be found in Tower Hamlets. Wilton’s Music Hall has reopened to the public in 2015 following four years of National Lottery funded repairs.

Waltham Forest

Waltham Forest is home to lots of HLF-supported heritage, including newly-reopened Walthamstow Wetlands, Europe’s largest urban wetland nature reserve.