The government has reneged on a pledge to refund £425m to charities after the Olympics, instead leasing the stadium to West Ham for a mere £2.5m a year
- Rachel Cain is senior researcher at the Directory of Social Change
As West Ham United kick off a new season in the Olympic Stadium where the nation cheered Mo Farah and Usain Bolt in the World Athletics Championships this summer, few will be aware that this fabulous venue, now the London Stadium, was partly funded by money intended for charities, which are still waiting for repayment.
The story so far: back in 2007, the government raided millions from lottery funds to pay for the infrastructure of the London Olympic and Paralympic Games. More than £400m of this money should have been distributed by the Big Lottery Fund in grants enabling charities to do vital work in communities.
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