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“You never know if one day something could change your life forever. So just hearing stories of inspirational people who continue to thrive can be inspiring.”

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— Sundus, aged 15

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ABOUT

Proud Places is a London-wide engagement programme inspiring young people with the world around them. Through heritage projects, we introduce children aged 11 and upwards to important themes in local places… the hidden stories of London and why they matter.

 

The programme helps young people improve their life choices as well as their life skills. We offer site visits and creative workshops, a chance to explore London behind-the-scenes and develop local knowledge and pride. We are specialists in alternative provision schools and youth groups but also work with primary and secondary pupils across the city.

 

Visits are individually tailored to each group, and entirely free of charge.

 

The programme was developed with our Proud Places Young Ambassadors and launched during the pandemic in October 2020 with funding from the Jones Day Foundation. To date we have worked with over 4,000 young people, and the programme continues to expand.

 

Proud Places is represented on the Partners' Board of the Mayor of London's Commission for Diversity in the Public Realm.

 

For more information on the Heritage of London Trust and our restoration projects go to our webpage heritageoflondon.org.

ABOUT
PROJECTS

RECENT PROJECTS

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Queen Mary's Hospital for the East End

Newham

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As the only surviving element of Queen Mary’s Hospital for the East End, this freshly restored arch tells the story of a long history of exemplary medical care in West Ham.

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Columbia Market Gates

Tower Hamlets

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Columbia Market’s Gates are the last survival of an immense Gothic marketplace serving the Victorian East End’s poorest inhabitants.

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A pupil from London Enterprise Academy has a go at stonemasonry at the back of the fountai

Whitechapel Fountain

Tower Hamlets

The Whitechapel Fountain has been completely restored, keeping visible the medieval, Victorian and 20th century history of Altab Ali Park.

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Cranford Lock Up

Hounslow

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Small ‘lock ups’ like this one were once found all around London. They detained petty criminals and vagrants overnight, before the era of police stations.

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Mount Clare Temple

Wandsworth

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The ‘Temple of Honour’ is an 18th century neo-classical temple with beautiful images of gods and goddesses. It was moved to its current location in the early 20th century and has been locked up for many years.

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Caroline Gardens Chapel

Southwark

With its soot-stained walls and heat-damaged interior, unchanged since a bomb dropped in 1941, this almshouse chapel is a unique time capsule from WWII.

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Toynbee Fountain

Merton

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The freshly restored Toynbee Fountain lends a gothic presence to the Wimbledon crossroads. Young people are introduced to the weird and wonderful history of Joseph Toynbee, Ear Surgeon Royale…

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Pope's Grotto

Richmond

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The poet Alexander Pope created a Grotto under his house as a place for contemplation and writing. It was an artificial cavern, sparkling with minerals, crystals and mirrors.

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Promenade Approach

Hounslow

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These 1920s gates led into Chiswick’s first public park for working people as London’s industrial factories expanded in west London. The park offered fresh air for families to relax and exercise.

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Leaning Woman

Hammersmith

A pioneering ‘classical’ statue in concrete created after WWII by Czech sculptor Karel Vogel as part of a London-wide programme to improve society with public art.

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Emma Cons Memorial The Old Vic

Lambeth

Emma Cons was a pioneering social reformer, who campaigned for better housing and education for the poor of Victorian London and the right of women to be in power.

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Northumberland House Arch

Tower Hamlets

This arch now in Bromley-By-Bow came from a grand palace on the Strand and was moved across London by horse and cart 146 years ago.

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Conde de Bayona Mausoleum

Hammersmith & Fulham

This mausoleum in Kensal Rise is a perfect Gothic house in miniature.

Cranford Stables

Cranford Stables

Hillingdon

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Cranford’s 18th century stables once housed the grooms as well as horses.

Wanstead Grotto

Redbridge

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Wanstead Grotto was once the location of lavish 18th century entertainments.

Wanstead Grotto

"Not gonna lie, this was genuinely the best day we've had yet! Every week I think it's not gonna top the last and it does! This is the best day I've ever had! I'll say to my mates, what did YOU do this Wednesday?! NOTHING.”

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Devon, aged 19

“How can you not touch this site… feel it! I’m going to come every day after school to pay my tribute… It makes you kind of appreciate the history, like the culture of the area you’re living in. It makes you feel like you have an obligation to uphold this much history in your local area.” 

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Ben, aged 16

Find out a little more about the Proud Places experience!

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4000+

YOUNG

PEOPLE

40

SITES

33

LONDON BOROUGHS 

Gallery

GALLERY

Learning new skills

Learning new skills

Proud Places introduces young people to new skills such as stonemasonry

Project launches

Project launches

Pupils are invited to attend their local heritage site launches once restoration is complete

Speaking to experts

Speaking to experts

Proud Places connects young people and industry professionals

Proud Prospects at Jones Day

Proud Prospects at Jones Day

Year 10s go to the Jones Day HQ to partake in a mock 'Dragons Den' pitching restoration projects.

Proud Prospects at Jones Day

Proud Prospects at Jones Day

Pupils learn new skills in presentation and confidence as part of our Proud Prospects workshops

Exploring hidden heritage

Exploring hidden heritage

A young person from a pupil referral unit examines a horse's bridle at Cranford Stables.

Wanstead Grotto

Wanstead Grotto

A Proud Places visit at Wanstead Grotto, locked to the public for over 100 years.

Whitechapel Fountain

Whitechapel Fountain

Local pupils learn about different mortar compositions from a conservator

Promenade Approach Gates

Promenade Approach Gates

Pupils discover different flames blacksmiths use while they restore a park entrance in Chiswick

Mount Clare Temple Parthenon

Mount Clare Temple Parthenon

Exploring a temple hidden away in West London

Proud Places stone masonry

Proud Places stone masonry

A young person from a pupil referral unit tries their hand at stone masonry.

Kentish Drivers Mural

Kentish Drivers Mural

Local pupils use binoculars to examine the mural before its restoration on Old Kent Road.

Poetry workshops

Poetry workshops

A young person shows her poem at our literacy workshop inspired by a visit to Pope's Grotto.

Proud Places Ambassador looking down into St Bart's

Proud Places Ambassador looking down into St Bart's

Proud Places Ambassador explores hidden spaces of St Bart's

Inside Pope's Grotto

Inside Pope's Grotto

A young person from a youth group explores Pope's Grotto

UPDATES
Get Involved

GET INVOLVED

Want to bring your group along?

Leave your info and we’ll get back to you.

*The programme covers free visits for state schools and community groups. Fee-paying schools are asked to contribute a small donation.

Site visits are fully risk-assessed and groups can be as small as necessary.

CONTACT
Contact Us

CONTACT

Contact Us

Thanks for submitting!

Our Office

Heritage of London Trust

34 Grosvenor Gardens 

SW1W 0DH

 

info@heritageoflondon.org

Tel: 020 7099 0559

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Special thanks

This programme has been funded with the generosity of the Jones Day Foundation 

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