Across The Divide - Voices from the Heart of Leyton

Councillor Anna Mbachu, the Mayor of Waltham Forest, opening the exhibition

Across the Divide - Voices from the Heart of Leyton was an innovative community based and community led project which aimed to discover heritage within the local community of Leyton and Leytonstone, and to build new relationships between people of different generations and cultures.

The project was conceived and delivered by London and Quadrant Housing Trust and the national reminiscence arts charity Age Exchange, in 2008. Funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund enabled Age Exchange to carry out a series of 16 reminiscence sessions with over 300 people in care settings, sheltered housing units and social clubs in Leyton and Leytonstone, between February and November 2009. Group sessions were followed by an extensive programme of one to one filmed interviews with older residents across Waltham Forest. All of this material along with the intergenerational art workshops and theatre work with George Mitchell School, led to the creation of the exhibition and this website. The aim of the whole project has been to give residents, young and old a voice through valuing their reminiscence and giving it the opportunity for expression through intergenerational work and the creation of exhibition, film, website, and archive.

It was great to have a chance to see the exhibition last week. It really looks fantastic and it's clear how much work you, your colleagues and the community have put into it. It's certainly a great example of what can be achieved with a Your Heritage grant!

Catherine Richardson, Heritage Lottery Grants Officer

Much of the project focused on the Beaumont Estate, an area that was locally notorious for anti-social behaviour and serious crime issues. Like several of the borough's troubled 1960’s built housing estates, the area has recently been transformed with new, low rise, 21st century housing replacing the decayed concrete tower blocks. The skyline of the borough has changed dramatically. But what was the impact this change had on the people that live there? Local residents expressed the importance of not losing the memory of this period of their lives and the resulting project, touring exhibition, and intergenerational play, enabled residents to record their experience of a period of dramatic social upheaval and change.

Across the Divide is an exciting and innovative project which we at L&Q are extremely proud of. Through exhibition, drama and reminiscence the project has brought people from across Waltham Forest together and in doing so given a voice to an often ignored and disenfranchised people and place. The project has revealed the fascinating and vibrant story of a neglected community.

Ciaran Porter, Neighbourhood Investment Coordinator

This website, like the touring exhibition, divides the history of the area into four sections describing memories of the area's development through time. We hope you enjoy visiting the site and finding out more about the project.

Exhibition photo

The touring exhibition at Leyton

Exhibition photo

The touring exhibition at Vestry House Museum

YouTube - Across the Divide