May 13, 2025
We've been awarded a grant from the National Lottery Heritage Fund to deliver ‘Made in the East End’ over the next 2 years.
Oxford House awarded a Heritage Fund grant to deliver dynamic heritage project, ‘Made in the East End’
Oxford House in Bethnal Green has been awarded nearly £250,000 from The National Lottery Heritage Fund for their Made in the East End project. This inspiring heritage project, which will take place over the next two years, will bring people together to explore the archive and learn about the history of Oxford House and its role in its community. Ideas will be brought together to create new public artworks, writing and performances.
In 1884, Oxford House became a historic ‘settlement house’ where students and graduates came to live and work in the East End. Even then, it was central to establishing projects and community initiatives. ‘Made in the East End’ will see Oxford House transformed once more into a dynamic heritage site with community history and creativity at its heart.
The programme has four main strands:
Community Banner Making Project, celebrating East End Textile Heritage – Oxford House sits adjacent to Weavers Fields, named after the rows of workshops which stood there for over 100 years. The nearby streets were once full of upholsters, braid makers, weavers and silk winders. ‘Made in the East End’ will see the creation of a series of textile banners honouring this rich heritage, made by the local community.
Working-Class Writing – Inspired by prolific periods of community writing and publishing in the 1970s/80s at Oxford House, young people will delve into our archives and meet local changemakers and writers to create a new anthology which will be available across the borough.
Artist Residency programme for British Somali Artists – Working with resident company, Kayd Somali Arts & Culture, they will continue to deepen Oxford House’s 40-year long relationship with Somali communities. Working with artists in residence across art forms, the work produced will be showcased during Somali Week Festival and across the year. Artists will respond to Oxford House’s archive and community memory.
Community Curators Programme – Working with volunteers and partner organisations, a series of exhibitions will focus on East End working class history, using the newly catalogued/digitised archives.
‘Made in the East End’ kicks off this summer with a series of tours and performances. Please check Oxford House’s website for more updates:
Wednesday 11 June, 11am – 12 noon
Oxford House Building Tour: Victorians, Gandhi’s Visit and the Secret Chapel
Guided tour of Oxford House’s listed Victorian building. Peek into our archives, visit our ‘secret chapel’ and take in 360°degree views of East London on our spectacular rooftop.
Friday 11 & Saturday 12 July 2025
Kayd x OH | Somali Creative Mixer Event
Maanta Theatre, Between Two Worlds
Written by Mohamed Mohamud, directed & produced by Mukhtar Moalin
Set between Mogadishu and London, Between Two Worlds follows the emotional journey of Ali, a young Somali man who dreams of a better life in Europe.
Show: 7:00pm – 8:00pm, Q&A: 8:00pm – 8:30pm (30 mins)
Saturday 9 August 2025, 6pm – 9pm
Kayd x OH | Somali Creative Mixer Event
Salma Ibrahim presents her debut novel ‘Salutation Road’
A ‘beautifully told, speculative literary debut about the everyday struggles of immigration, love and letting go of a past that never really existed.’
Ticket £5 on Eventbrite (booking page coming soon)
Read the press-release: 01. MITEE (2025)
About The National Lottery Heritage Fund
Our vision is for heritage to be valued, cared for and sustained for everyone, now and in the future. That’s why as the largest funder for the UK’s heritage we are dedicated to supporting projects that connect people and communities to heritage, as set out in our strategic plan, Heritage 2033. Heritage can be anything from the past that people value and want to pass on to future generations. We believe in the power of heritage to ignite the imagination, offer joy and inspiration, and to build pride in place and connection to the past.
Over the next 10 years, we aim to invest £3.6billion raised for good causes by National Lottery players to make a decisive difference for people, places and communities.
Follow @HeritageFundUK on Twitter/X, Facebook and Instagram and use #NationalLottery #HeritageFund