The Historyof the

City

LyndonsArts

Trust

through the

Eyesof its

Children

This booklet is a celebration of the first Team Building Days undertaken by HSBC, who went on to sponsor the Lyndons Arts Trust’s annual exhibition at the Lighthouse, W11, and a showcase of Lyndons’ Team Building Days with other organisations, schools and corporate clients over the last ten years.

Lyndons Arts Trust

The History of the Citythrough the Eyes of its Children

Designed by Pauline Rafal

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“The History of the City through the Eyes of its Children” is an ongoing project linking banks and City companies who have policies of Corporate Social Responsibility with primary schools in areas of social deprivation adjacent to the Square Mile.

This project was launched in 2007 and a number of banks, legal, Livery and insurance companies have taken part in Team Building Days based on art.

There is a high proportion of immigration in the areas of Hackney and Tower Hamlets where as many as 90% of the children in classes can have English as a second language. It is these children, who are the next British generation, to whom we wish to appeal. The programme is focused on trade and immigration through the ages, these being the most relevant subjects to the children’s own circumstances.

Research and development is undertaken by the Lyndons Arts Trust team and young volunteers through the Livery companies, the Museum of London, Docklands Museum and Metropolitan Archives, as well as the archives of the banks whom we work with. The Trust is run by a core team of creative and educational professionals, designers and artists, tutors and writers who work alongside volunteers in the workshop. This creates opportunities for students and young graduates to join the Outreach Programme in the City.

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In 2009 HSBC took part in their first Team Building Day which focused on the history of early banking in the City. Creative Director Kathleen Dutton developed the brief working with Arts Co-ordinator Penny Mishcon and Book Designer Pauline Rafal from London College of Communication. Pauline Rafal was dressed as a 17th-century banker. Sixty children took part in the pilot project.

The First HSBCTeam Building Day

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The second Team Building Day HSBC took part in was based on the subject of “Portraits Past and Present within the City of London”.

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The morning session took portraits of Victorian City inhabitants as a starting point, volunteers helping the children bring together the Victorian etching-based artworks. In the afternoon the children and volunteers created self-portraits which will become illustrations in a digital book exploring identity, diversity and history. The programme was created and facilitated by Kathleen Dutton, with guest artist Desiree Jordan.

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Lyndons Arts Trust’s Outreach Programme is dedicated to introducing children to the history of their forebears and the lives of the generations of multi-ethnic immigrants who made the City what it is today.

The three main projects in Lyndons’ programme link the history of the City, Identity and Conservation.

The third HSBC Team Building Day was based on the subject of Conservation and took place in the Tower Hamlets Cemetery Education Centre.

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One of HSBC’s charitable objectives is Conservation. The City of London Corporation has a strong programme on greening-up the Square Mile and encouraging bio-diversity among birds and insects and it is these subjects that we will be presenting to our corporate clients.

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Lyndons Arts Trust was formed by Mary McGowan in 1996 “to put art into the heart of the community” by developing “out of school” art programmes for all children who are socially disadvantaged.

The “out of school” community centre and schools art programmes enrich the lives of children by encouraging them to:

express their creativity and imagination,

gain the skills they need through interaction with people of different ages, cultures and backgrounds during collaborative art projects,

acquire confidence and independence by completing the projects.

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The Lyndons Workshop

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The Lyndons Arts Trust’s young artists’ training programmes give volunteers the opportunity to:

work with children,

improve their CVs by joining the workshop,

create art projects with children linked to Team Building Days offered by companies with Corporate Social Responsibility.

The Trust specialises in using art forms not usually available to primary school children: bookmaking, ceramics, mosaics, textiles, printmaking, collage, puppet-making and glasswork.

Lyndons Arts Trust is keen to adapt projects to the particular needs of schools and local communities.

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Previous examples of Lyndons’ Conservation and Identity programme are “Myself as an Animal”, “Myself in Flowers” and “Silhouettes”.

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The theme of Identity also appears in Kathleen Dutton’s book entitled “Who am I?”. During her Art Residency at Lyndons Kathleen developed both this project, based around the subject of cultural heritage and self-representation and the workshops for Lyndons’ involvement in the Cultural Olympiad Programme.

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“Protect Wildlife” was a Conservation project inspired by the International Fund for Animal Welfare Trust, Blue Cross (Animal Welfare), RSPCA, National Animal Welfare Trust, World Wild Life Fund, Care for the Wild International and PDSA.

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“I am writing to express our thanks for the opportunities your programmes at Lyndons have given some of our Book Arts students. We think it is important that our students experience the challenges in the real world whilst studying at college. The work placement and community projects offered by Lyndons meet this need.”

Mike Brunwin,Principle Lecturer Quality Assurance, Course Director B.A. Book Arts,London College of Communication

“Thank you for all the hard work you put into workshops at Shapla Primary School and St Paul’s Primary School. It was very interesting to hear the feedback from the executives at the end of the day. It is clearly a rewarding exercise for them in a challenging environment, an exercise that is vital for anyone wishing to broaden and develop their skills for both work and every day.”

Alice Yates,Conservation and Development Director,Wilton’s Music Hall

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“Thank you so much for organizing the project at Shapla Primary School. Our students really enjoyed the morning.”

Sue Algeo,IB Co-ordinator,St Dunstan’s College

“We were particularly pleased with the ceramic work of one student and were able to include several of the pieces she made with you in her final graduation show. We would like to develop our relationship with Lyndons in the future and are particularly interested in our students being involved in the ceramics workshops as we cannot offer this facility here.”

Tony Braithwaite,FdA Surface Design Course Director,London College of Communication

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“Dear A. N. Other Bank

We would like to thank you for coming and helping us with our pottery and paper work. Mary says you are very private and don’t like being mentioned, so shall we describe you as a popular, funny, fantastic at art bank hidden away in the City?”

Aatikah and Edie, year 5,Malorees Junior School

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“I am writing to thank you for coming to Mary’s art shed and teaching us to design and create our own puppets. It was a visit no one will forget. It’s very unlikely that someone could disagree with me when I say it was a highlight of the school year.”

Claudia, 5H, Malorees Junior School

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Schools which have taken part in Lyndons’ projects:

Chalk Hill Primary School, BrentGeorge Eliot Junior School, WestminsterGreenside School, HammersmithMalorees Junior School, BrentMander, Portman, Woodward Sixth Form CollegeManor Special School, BrentNewfield Primary School, BrentQueens Park Community School, BrentThe International School, RBKCYHA Hostel, Earls Court

City Schools:

English Martyrs RC, Tower HamletsShapla, Wellclose Square, Tower HamletsSt Paul’s, Wellclose Square, Tower Hamlets

Secondary Schools:George Green’s School, Isle of DogsHaggerston Girls School, Tower HamletsSt Dunstan’s College SE6 and The Livery Co: World Traders.

Thanks for their children’s involvement with the volunteers.

Thanks to those who have joined us with their children and young volunteers, those who invited us take part in charitable events and those supplying training and work experience.

Action for Children, West LondonCity ActionLearning and Skills, Wormwood Scrubs PrisonLondon College of CommunicationLondon Youth Hostels AssociationMiddle Row School, RBKCThe Harrow Club, RBKCThe Royal Society of British SculptorsThe Tabernacle Community Centre, RBKCThe Volunteer Bureau, RBKCWilton’s Music Hall

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Artists and professionals who have collaborated with Lyndons Arts Trust:

Aishamsha Burns HeatiiVanessa CuttsKathleen DuttonChermiah HartDesiree JordanArabella NockMatthew MeadowsPenny MishconRachel MontagueZohar PhippsPauline RafalNikki TeemanGeorge VandiasbuliSophia Wallace DunlopWarwick de Winterand many more over the past 14 years.

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The annual Lyndons Arts Trust Exhibition at The Lighthouse, W11, sponsored by HSBC.

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Contact: Mary McGowan - Director and Arts Coordinator

7 McGregor Road, London W11 1DETel: 020 7792 3265marymcgowan2010@gmail.comwww.lyndonsartstrust.com

Lyndons Arts Trust Registered Chaity No. 1060068

Registered Office: c/o RBK&C125 Freston Road, London W11 6TH

Brochure sponsored by:Lyndons Art & Graphics:Office Supplies,Computer Consumables,Stationery,Art and Graphic Materials,Colour and B/W volume copying,Printing,Laminating,Comb binding

Designed by:Pauline Rafalwww.paulinerafal.co.uk

Printed by:Natgraphicswww.natgraphicsuk.com