Across The Divide - Voices from the Heart of Leyton

voices from the heart of Leyton

a local history and reminiscence project by Age Exchange bringing together young and older residents of Leyton and Leytonstone

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the community today crossing the divide

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Age Exchange Reminiscence
Reminiscence involves social, educational and creative activities that value people and their memories. Between February and November 2009 reminiscence sessions were carried out in care settings, sheltered housing units and social clubs in Leyton and Leytonstone. These sessions were followed by a programme of one to one interviews generating an archive that will be stored at the Vestry House Museum. The sessions are great fun, help to make new friendships and they are of particular benefit to people who are suffering from memory loss.

Reminiscence Theatre
During a week long workshop held at George Mitchell School, a group of 15 year old local students were trained in the techniques of reminiscence theatre. They learned how to interview older people and then devised scenes based on these memories. This inter-generational workshop has led to new friendships and enabled a better understanding of our shared social history. The theatre group formed through this project went on to perform at the Walthamstow Libray as part of the Heritage Lottery funded Big Blue Fence project, and will continue to work together in the future.

Regular visitors to the Forest Community Centre, Kathleen Vernon (left) and Rose Adams (right)

Yakub, Muhammad and Zak re-enact a memory of the Tea Dance at Leyton Baths

Students interview residents Brian and Margaret Wilks as part of the Inter-generational theatre project.

Recent Housing Stock Transfer
“In 2002 the London Borough of Waltham Forest didn't have enough funding to do major works to bring the properties up to a Decent Home Standard by 2010. So they looked at Area 5 which was known as Leyton and North Leytonstone. It was approximately 2,600 units that they were looking to transfer over to someone. London & Quadrant Housing Trust were the successful landlord who people voted for the stock transfer to go ahead”
Richard Southall

The estate has been tidied up hasn't it? I'm hoping it's going to be a much nicer place quote

Linda Bleach

Masterplan of the phased regeneration of the Beaumont area.
Courtesy of PRP Architects

“It's gone. That lift went in December 2008. We handed over the tower block. Two have been demolished. There was one left which was All Saints tower and we just handed that over to the contractors and we'll be replacing it with larger family sized units.When we first took over a door knocking exercise was done and 80% of residents wanted to move off of the estate. Now with what L&Q have done, people that have moved off want to move back“
Richard Southall

Memory Maps
In September 2009 Age Exchange carried out two Memory Map making workshops with students at George Mitchell School. The children were asked to draw their journey to school, with their eyes closed in order to search their own memory for the places they passed and people they met. The resulting memory maps and collages are a record of their own experience of the city.

My journey to school (drawn with eyes closed).
Drawing by Eloise, 14 yrs old

Memory Collage, Hassan, 15yrs old

We used to run through the bushes and jump out. There used to be a lot of bushes but they've taken down the trees and everything to build stuff. Which is one of the bad things quote

Muhammad, 15 yr old student

Memory Drawing by Gloria, Eloise and Luke. The students were asked to make their own map of Leyton (drawing sitting around the table with eyes open).