Behind the Scenes

Volunteers

"I really enjoyed our session where we practiced doing interviews with each other. It was a great way to get used to the equipment and a great way to get to know each other!" - Volunteer

In April 2023 we ran training days for our wonderful volunteers who worked on this project. They received oral history training, took part in research exercises, and went on a trip to see the Parker Morris test housing in Canning Town. Throughout the project, our volunteers conducted oral history interviews with participants, transcribed these interviews to be added to our archive, and helped to co-design the exhibition.

This podcast was made by our volunteer Titun Aye, a French-speaking poet and Youth Worker. Titun has a passion for all history and local heritage, especially around his African heritage, culture and roots.

Workshops

Over the course of the project, we ran reminiscence sessions at St Luke's Community Centre and East Ham Library where participants explored memory boxes of pictures and heard sound clips from the project, sparking discussions of their own memories of home in Canning Town. We also ran creative workshops at Ambition Aspire Achieve Zone in Canning Town, sharing materials from the project to inspire participants to create their dream home artwork, inspired by the history of the Parker Morris Standards.

My favourite part of the workshop was...

"Talking about the outdoor toilets!""

"Learning more history about where I live."

"Talking about the good old days at Rathbone Market."

- Workshop participants

Exhibition Launch

"Wonderful and thoughtful way to tell such important stories - thank you for the effort and education on Canning Town."

- Event attendee

"A beautiful exhibition on such an important issue. An important and critical discussion for everyone is housing for the future, but we always have to learn from the past to understand where we are going."

- Cllr Rita Chadha

To celebrate the project, we held an exhibition launch coffee morning event at Custom House and Canning Town Neighbourhood Community Centre and Library in January 2024. Attendees got to see our exhibition, paintings and digital art by artist Terence Claydon, hear sound clips, and explore the project website. Rita Chadha, Councillor for Canning Town North, spoke about the history and present day challenges of housing in Canning Town. Over tea and coffee, attendees were encouraged to chat with others and share their own memories of home in Canning Town, with some friends even being reunited after 50 years apart!