Almost £20,000 has been given to a churchyard to transform it into a community green space.

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has awarded £19,988 to Edgware Parochial Church Council to turn the churchyard at St Margaret of Antioch in Station Road, Edgware, into a multifunctional space for the community.

The funding comes as part of a £1.13million pot which has been awarded to 55 projects across the capital through the Mayor's Greener City Fund Community Green Space Grants 2018.

The grants aim to give people the chance to create new and improved green spaces in the hope to make London the first national park city, with more than half of the capital green by 2050.

The Mayor of London said: "Communities are crying out for high quality green space in their local areas, and I have listened to their great ideas. Whether it’s designing a new garden, planting trees or greening school playgrounds, these projects will transform local spaces, improve health and wellbeing and help clean up our toxic air – and young Londoners are getting involved too.

"I want London to become the UK’s first National Park City, with more than half the capital green by 2050 – and we’re already delivering. It’s vital that, as our capital continues to grow, all Londoners have access to open, green areas, and these projects will help make our city a greener, healthier place to live."

Andrew Dismore, London Assembly member for Barnet and Camden, said: "This is very welcome news for the people of Edgware, who for years have had to put up with the Conservatives on Barnet Council letting them down, and overdeveloping Edgware, with no consideration for the needs of local residents.

"Sadiq Khan, unlike Barnet Council, understand the importance of improving our green spaces and having places where the community can relax."

This is the first round of funding for the Community Green Space Grants, and further funding rounds for these grants and the Community Tree Planting Grant Scheme will be announced later this year.