ANCHOR TENANTS REMEMBER LOCAL HISTORY WITH THE HELP OF MODERN TECHNOLOGY IN LONDON'S EAST END

Tenants of Anchor Retirement Housing schemes, Stanley Holloway and Lea Courts join forces with a creative arts organisation to create an online photographic memory known as 'FLOW'.

Tenants of Anchor Retirement Housing schemes, Stanley Holloway and Lea Courts in East London, have been working with Shed 22, a local creative arts organisation, to preserve their heritage and explore its value for the future through a multimedia arts project. Tenants joined forces with a photographer and a digital artist to restore old family photographs, some of which are up to 80 years old.

Philip Smith, scheme manager at Stanley Holloway Court said,

"The tenants have become really involved with this project. Most of them had never previously considered the on-line world. They have been introduced to scanning, restoration methods, digital portraiture and the Internet. They have engaged with new technology to connect to their own lives and histories."

Tenants have become really involved with this project. Most of them had never previously considered the on-line world. They have engaged with new technology to connect to their own lives and histories

" East London has a strong tradition of community and of recording the milestones of life through photography. Family photographs are important historical documents, invaluable records, easily lost forever if not preserved," said Nicola Percy, Shed22 website creator.

The project, known as 'Flow', comprises a dedicated website which Nicola describes as an 'online photographic memory'. Current photographs of tenants are shown beside the restored photographs and are linked to personal narratives of their owners. This multimedia artwork aims to present a living image of local life and experience. To see the site click FLOW.

The website was launched at Shed 22 by Newham's Civic Ambassador, Cllr. Pat Holland on 27 th May 2004.