WHAT PEOPLE SAY
“I didn’t know it was important until I saw it being restored!”
— Margaret E, East London
WHAT PEOPLE SAY
“I didn’t know it was important until I saw it being restored!”
— Margaret E, East London
RECENT PROJECTS
Guilford Place drinking foutain
Guilford Place drinking fountain was built in 1870 and miraculously survived the Blitz completely intact. In the last few decades it had fallen into disrepair, parts were missing, and the fountain no longer worked
The statue on top of the fountain is a sculptured marble figure of the ‘Woman of Samaria’, kneeling to either fill or pour a water jar. In the Bible story of the woman of Samaria meeting Jesus, he embraces her even though she is a social outcast with five previous husbands: “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again; but whoever drinks the water I shall give will never thirst."
Proud Places young people met the stonemasons working on the project. They took part in sculpture and stone masonry workshops and spoke at the grand unveiling to celebrate its restoration, getting the first drops of free fresh drinking water from the drinking fountain in years!
The Guilford Place drinking fountain can be found at the top of Lambs Conduit Street, next door to some grand Victorian toilets – which have been turned into a wine bar.
“I was one of the first people to fill up my bottle from this fountain. It makes me really proud. In 50 years I can walk past this fountain with my friends and say – 'I helped to restore that!’"
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– Mela, 10
"This was one of the most inspiring workshops. The students really gained so many new skills and knowledge throughout the whole experience. Not just about local history but also about potential career paths they can go down with their artistic skills. The workshop would not have been what it was without the amazing team at Proud Places."
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– Oran Tarjan, Teacher, Westminster Kingsway College
Creative responses
