Aberfeldy Stories 10 year celebration brings community together

15/07/2022

More than 700 local people celebrated the 10 year anniversary of redevelopment on the Aberfeldy estate on 30 June.

Led by EcoWorld London and Poplar HARCA, the celebrations included the launch of Aberfeldy Stories – a new exhibition that explores the transformation of the Aberfeldy neighbourhood through the lives of the people that live here.

Also present were Lutfur Rahman, Mayor of Tower Hamlets, Councillor Kabir Ahmed, Cabinet Member for Regeneration, Inclusive Development and Housebuilding, and Unmesh Desai, London Assembly Member, City & East Constituency, who joined in the festivities and presented printed portraits to those who featured in the exhibition.

Aberfeldy Stories will be open to the public this summer at East India Green, in Aberfeldy Village, until 31 August 2022.

The photography and audio stories exhibition explores how the Aberfeldy area has evolved over the past decade, as well as the lives of the residents within the community. It features portraits of residents, business owners and community leaders, shot by local photographer JC Candanedo.

The event was truly a celebration of the Aberfeldy community, featuring local businesses including The Works Café and Do Little Events who provided complimentary food and drink throughout the afternoon. Poplar Works based designer, Ellen Rock, and London College of Fashion’s Making for Change Team ran their Aberfeldy Through Your Eyes activity which will culminate in a community gathered mural and print, alongside a talkeoake session by arts collective The People Speak, lawn games and a pop-up photo booth.

“We started this journey on Aberfeldy a decade ago and it is brilliant to see everything that has taken shape over the past 10 years. It’s not only much-needed new homes, but also improvements to community spaces and facilities. Working with partners across the borough we are going to make Tower Hamlets a better place to live for everyone.”

Lutfur Rahman, Mayor of Tower Hamlets

“We are so proud of what has been achieved here in Aberfeldy. Over the years we have seen how Aberfeldy is a truly special place and having worked closely with our partners Poplar HARCA and the local community, we know that it is the people who make Aberfeldy what it is. To celebrate the community and their unique and remarkable stories is a fitting way to mark this major milestone, as we look forward to Aberfeldy’s next chapter and together create a place that everyone can be proud of.”

Heng Leong Cheong, CEO of EcoWorld London

“It has been a privilege for us to work with the Aberfeldy community over the last 10 years, so this new exhibition celebrating local people feels like the perfect way to celebrate this important milestone. Together, we will continue to truly transform Aberfeldy, making it a place where people feel proud and happy to raise their families.”

Steve Stride, CEO of Poplar HARCA

The latest phase of the redevelopment will complete by the end this year with new public art, a GP surgery, community centre, green spaces and over 900 much-needed homes of all tenures. An ambitious new masterplan for the next phase of the redevelopment with over 1,500 new homes, shops, workspaces and public realm centred around health and wellbeing was submitted for planning in late 2021.

You can listen to a BBC London Live interview with Alaina, local resident and business owner, who’s story forms part of Aberfeldy Stories, below.

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