The Mayor of London has pledged £30K to a Lewisham based community self-build project.

The Rural Urban Synthesis Society (RUSS), aims to build a knowledge hub for self-building, community-led housing and sustainable living on a site in Church Grove in Ladywell.

RUSS is trying to raise a total of £55,758 to get the project off the ground.

They have raised £39,008 from 247 backers so far and have 62 days left to get the cash.

RUSS chair Kareem Dayes, whose parents self-built their own homes, said: “Lewisham has a history of self-building. In 1985 a group of council tenants with no previous building experience built their own homes on land provided by Lewisham Council.

“They were led by architect Water Segal who developed a simple and cost-effective building design that anyone could self-build.”

Anyone who wishes to help fund the project should go to: https://www.spacehive.com/ladywellselfbuild.