London mayor Boris Johnson has officially launched a new month-long programme of events to celebrate the capital's past, present and future and encourage more people to explore the city's heritage.

The Story of London celebration will see more than 400 events held throughout June at locations across London, which will also document the city's contribution to fashion, arts and music and popular culture. Each week of events will culminate in a 'Big Weekend' dedicated to a specific theme, including a Tudor river pageant to mark the 500th anniversary of Henry VIII's coronation co-ordinated by Historic Royal Palaces (HRP) and the British Film Institute's (BFI) Jazz and Film Weekender

A series of activities will also be focused around the smaller museums and sites situated in outer boroughs of London, with HRP and English Heritage providing funding for special events. The Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) is also supporting the Story of London initiative as part of the National Lottery's 15th anniversary celebrations, with more than £200,000 awarded to 23 small projects across 14 London Boroughs and an exhibition at City Hall showcasing a further 15 flagship schemes.

Johnson said: "It is with great pride that I call London - the world's greatest city - my home. The Story of London is about celebrating the people and communities that have shaped our capital, while also telling Londoners and visitors about the vast array of cultural and heritage organisations on their doorstep. "We don't just learn from experience, we learn from the study of what has gone before - even if we don't always avoid the mistakes of our forebears. The Story of London is a celebration and an exploration - get out, go exploring, find out more about this greatest of cities."

Image: James O Jenkins