Newham Heritage Month 2024
Commissioned by Newham Council to celebrate five years of the festival
I was commissioned by Newham Council to create a film celebrating five years of Newham Heritage Month. I have been involved in this brilliant festival since it’s inception in 2020, working with the team to support on projects, document the festival, and help out where I can. This year I got to spend a lot of June travelling around Newham and spending time with this years recipients of the community grants scheme to produce projects as part of the festival celebrating Newham’s Places and Spaces. It’s always a joyous and fascinating festival, and I spent time with 11 different projects exploring a wide variety of subjects including, Fairbairn Hall, youth organisation Fight For Peace, inclusive education with Act Up! Newham, stories from Hamfrith Estate, a living archive of queer heritage in Stratford, 12th century Stratford Langford Abbey at Abbey Gardens, the Stratford roller-skate scene with Marilyn Fontaine and Jack Matthews, Beckton Gasworks with Thomas and William McLucas and the legacy of pirate radio station DejaVu FM.
With huge thanks to all participants who gave their time so generously.
Newham Heritage Month is funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, and this year was helmed by James King, Jan Cullen, Monica Thomas and Anna Castleston-Simmons.