Festival of Britain Heritage Champion
Poplar HARCA
Heritage Champions are needed to help with celebrations in Poplar, marking the 75th anniversary of the Festival of Britain. You will help us to: • Welcome members of the public to the festival, support them to participate, and explain the heritage context of the activities. • Interview people willing to share their memories of life in and around the Lansbury Estate, or of visiting the Festival in 1951. • Prepare the recorded interviews for storage in Tower Hamlets’ Local History Archives.
Poplar HARCA is a Housing and Regeneration Community Association in East London that provides homes and support to residents. Our goal is to create a thriving environment for people, communities, and businesses. Alongside housing endeavours, we work alongside like-minded collaborators, residents and community stakeholders to offer health and wellbeing activities across 14 community buildings and three cafes. The Festival of Britain took place in 1951, and while the main attractions were based on London’s South Bank, Poplar also played a major role as the site of the ‘Live Architecture Exhibition’. Thousands of visitors were brought by bus to East London to see completed sections of the Lansbury estate, which was being constructed to provide new homes to replace those which had been destroyed during the Blitz. A large-scale celebration will take place on the Southbank to celebrate the Festival’s 75th Anniversary of the Festival of Britain, and we have received funding from Heritage Lottery to run a programme of celebratory events in Poplar, with a focus on the Lansbury Estate. It is an ideal time for us to celebrate the talents and resilience of our communities and remember our past, whilst expressing our hopes for the future. To help us explore and preserve our heritage we need 10 Festival of Britain Heritage Champions to assist with the running of the Festival, from June to the end of September 26. There are a number of activities which you can help with, including a celebratory event on Saturday 8 August 2026 in Bartlett Park. You will help us to: • Welcome members of the public to the festival, support them to participate, and explain the heritage context of the activities. • Interview people willing to share their memories of life in and around the Lansbury Estate, or of visiting the Festival in 1951. • Prepare the recorded interviews for storage in Tower Hamlets’ Local History Archives.
Events & Stewarding
N/A
A a Heritage Champions you will: • Have a friendly, enthusiastic manner and enjoy dealing with people from all walks of life • Have confidence in your ability to communicate well with all age groups • Be keen to learn more about the Festival of Britain • Be happy to be on your own with members of the public • Be a team player who has a positive attitude to working with members of the public to enhance their experience with the Festival of Britain events. No previous experience is needed.
Heritage Champions will: • Have the opportunity to learn about local history by taking part in a Festival of Britain workshop given by Tower Hamlets’ Local History Archives (on 19th and 20th June 2026). • Be provided with specialist training, given by the Oral History Society, in the collection of Oral Histories (expected to be a date in June TBC). • Learn how to use specialist recording equipment. • Receive a certificate to celebrate your achievements at the end of the project. • Travel and Lunch expenses provided • References can be provided for employment purposes.
We would like volunteers to commit to 6-10 hours a week on average. You should be available between June and September 2026. Some activities take place at weekends (eg 8 August) and some during the week. More details of the full programme of festivities will be available.
E3 3PR
70 Fern Street Poplar London
Nearest tube station – Bromley By Bow (District Line/Hammersmith & City Line) Nearest DLR station – Devon's Road Bus – 323 or 309
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