Across the Divide

Voices from the Heart of Leyton

Councillor Anna Mbachu, the Mayor of Waltham Forest, opened Across the Divide – Voices from the Heart of Leyton, an exhibition based on memories of Leyton and Leytonstone, at Vestry House Museum on Saturday 16 January 2010.

Over 100 people attended including local residents, care managers, London & Quadrant (L&Q) staff and students from George Mitchell Secondary School. Catherine Richardson, Grants officer from The Heritage Lottery Fund commented, “It was great to have a chance to see the exhibition. It really looks fantastic and it’s clear how much work London & Quadrant, Age Exchange and the community have put into it. It’s certainly a great example of what can be achieved with a Your Heritage grant!”

Across the Divide was a major reminiscence project aimed at bringing young and older residents from Leyton and Leytonstone together to explore their different and shared memories and perceptions of the area from 1939 to 2010. The project was funded by the Heritage Lottery Foundation and managed by L&Q and Age Exchange.

The project worked with a variety of community groups from across Leyton and Leytonstone, recording memories, gathering information and discussing the rich heritage of the area. The project also worked with school children from George Mitchell School in graphic design and drama workshops to explore young people’s memories of the area and produced a bespoke piece of intergenerational theatre, working with both older and younger people. The students performed their play at the exhibition launch.