2016/17 The Accents Team at Poplar HARCA THE ACCENTS was set up in June 2014 to support the social, economic and cultural APPROACH IS regeneration of Poplar within the TO REAPPRAISE large-scale physical change in the area. ASSETS TO ACCENTS BRINGS MAXIMISE THEIR OPPORTUNITIES TO VALUE TO HARCA POPLAR AND ITS COMMUNITY Accents has secured a range of ongoing revenue streams and so proving itself a Assets of all kinds NOW, MORE THAN EVER, IT IS healthy return on investment. as explored in this report: VITAL THAT WE REAPPRAISE OUR In addition, working with many fantastic Space: turning liabilities into assets partners, external and internal, Accents Community: enabling people ATTITUDE TO ASSETS OF ALL KINDS has delivered millions of pounds of to define their futures capital and social investment in Poplar IN THE CAPITAL, TO ENSURE THAT WE through innovative thinking and doing. Business: building identity and CREATE THE BEST AND MOST This includes hundreds of events, new opening procurement for a stronger CAN workspace and businesses, millions of local economy SUSTAINABLE VALUE FOR OUR pounds of positive publicity, Place: celebrating heritage; finding energy savings and new technology, fresh opportunity in future change COMMUNITIES AND PARTNERS. thousands of volunteer hours and ACCENTS IS LEADING THIS FISCALLY ever more engaged employees. People: turning passions into projects RESPONSIBLE CHARGE, CREATING NEW REVENUE STREAMS AND BUILDING CAPACITY, WHILST DELIVERING INNOVATIVE SOCIAL REGENERATION. THEY IMAGINE - AND DELIVER - EXACTLY THE KIND OF INCLUSIVE PLACEMAKING PROGRAMMES LONDON NEEDS Lisa Taylor Director, Future of London 2016/17 NUMBERS 32 79 9,780 15,000 LOCAL TOURS ACCENTS VOLUNTEER EVENT VISITORS HOSTED EVENTS HOURS 53 £162,032 32 31 INDIVIDUAL REDUCED ENERGY TRAINING & COMMUNITY POPLAR HARCA BILLS FOR RESIDENTS ENGAGEMENT GROUPS STAFF INVOLVED EVENTS SUPPORTED IN ACCENTS PROJECTS £205,000 £92,400 PA 45 SOCIAL COMMERCIAL NEW BUSINESSES INVESTMENT LETTINGS V THE CITY IS LOSING AN AVERAGE OF 88 HECTARES OF INDUSTRIAL LAND SPACE EVERY YEAR AND THE NEED FOR HOUSING WILL INCREASE PRESSURE FURTHER Architectural Review “I’ve lived in Poplar all my life and have been photographing its changing shape over the last 16 years. Accents has democratised space previously Across London inaccessible, adding colour and life. For my Transition Photography Project, that meant a really well attended the pressure exhibition in the heart of the Lansbury Estate.” on affordable Michael Mulcahy space, especially Photographer & Poplar resident workspace, is growing. We are in danger of losing “Poplar HARCA’s Accents Team understands the sectors, skills and identity. importance of embedding art within a changing place. They have unlocked a range of opportunities Concurrently, we need to in the area, sometimes challenging – always find new revenue streams interesting, and we continue to deliver a number and ensure work/leisure of very successful projects with them.” space is available to a Marcel Baettig growing population. Accents CEO, Bow Arts Trust is interested in how, by looking differently at space, value can be maximised for stakeholders, businesses and communities, existing and new. Examples include... OPEN POPLAR ABERFELDY STUDIOS SOLAR PANELS POPLAR PAVILION SPACES FOR IDEAS COMMUNITY ARTS 6,688 INSTALLED CONVERSATIONS Launched in 2015 with over 50 unused In March 2016, Bow Arts Trust Following 2015’s installation of 418 Over the summer 2017, Poplar hosted and underused spaces in Poplar, aimed opened two open studio galleries in solar panels bringing in £36,000 as the Poplar Pavilion - an experimental at turning liabilities into assets. Since the disused retail units on the Aberfeldy well as savings for residents, Accents construction with a design and build latest call for proposals, over 21, 500 sqm Estate. Two Collective groups have has secured funding for 6,270 more generated by the community. The of exceptional business ideas have been been running weekly participatory panels on roofs in the forthcoming project was orchestrated and led generated. It has sparked a re-evaluation workshops here, exploring themes year. This will create £2m income by Welcome Trust fellowship artist, of space within Poplar HARCA and led from collaboration in designing public over the next 20 years specifically for Alex Julyan. The Pavilion catalysed to new capital investment, increased work to engaging communities with community investment and reducing conversation around well-being, change revenue and decreased costs. quality of environments. carbon emissions. and identity. NEVER DOUBT THAT COMMITTED CITIZENS CAN CHANGE THE COMMUNITY WORLD - INDEED, IT IS THE ONLY THING THAT EVER HAS Margaret Mead “Poplar Peddlers has been such a “It’s fantastic being part of the friendly group since we started in June Carradale community garden. I’ve 2015. Everyone is welcome, from road met all sorts of people because of cyclists to first timers, from BMXers it, from all sorts of backgrounds. to family tourers and we’ve members We’ve done loads together building from all different backgrounds. We this place and we’re a stronger love to ride with friends and families - community because of it.” to explore great cycling routes around Tom Gleed our area and further afield.” Poplar resident & Sustainable Housing’s Green Tenant of the Year 2014 Sunara Begum An area’s people Peddlers ride leader & Poplar resident are its key asset. With authority, independence and support, communities can devise and deliver the most appropriate services and facilities for their area. Accents works to support a range of local groups, projects and networks to help grow their capacity and take ever stronger roles in shaping Poplar. Examples include... ENERGYWISE POPLAR PEDDLERS BOX OF TOYS POPLAR FILM ENERGY CHAMPIONS HEALTHY START 393 HOUSEHOLDS 40 MEMBERS 240 PARTICIPANTS MONTHLY CLUB AWARD WINNING SUPPORTING LOCAL An Ofgem project with UK Power A cycling club which represents and celebrates In 2016/17, 240 people participated in This year has seen 25 different A group of residents from the Poplar & Bow A voucher scheme launched in March Networks, Tower Hamlets Homes the diversity of cycling and of London. Uniting Box of Toys events - a collective of local events including collaborations Green Network trained with the Energy 2016 within the GLA-backed Chrisp & The Bromley by Bow Centre, road-cycling middle-aged men in lycra, young musicians who secure opportunities with the British Film Institute, LOCO Saving Trust and our neighbourhood Street Exchange Programme with investigates how to plan for our people on BMXs, Bangladeshi mums and even to perform, as well as running events London Comedy Film Festival and centres to directly deliver energy advice London Borough of Tower Hamlets future energy needs and manage our people who want to learn to ride a bike, Poplar themselves across East London. With Vincent Price fans. The monthly to and install energy-saving kit for their Public Health. Encouraging low household usage. 393 households Peddlers is truly inclusive. The Peddlers run over 50 events since being founded in club is co-curated by residents. communities. The project, which saved 200 income households to eat healthily are participating, getting energy regular rides to Epping Forest, deliver cycling 2015, Box of Toys has supported local Poplar Film also shot its first short households money on their energy bills, and buy locally. advice and cutting-edge tech. training and have entered a team in the London artists and has engaged with London- film in December 2015. won the National Housing Federation’s Nocturne for the past three years. wide music lovers. ‘Greener Living’ Award in September 2015. THERE ARE NOW 4.8 MILLION SMALL BUSINESSES IN THE UK AND THEY FORM BUSINESS THE LIFEBLOOD OF EVERY CITY ECONOMY ACROSS THE COUNTRY Centre for Cities “I am trading and growing my business in Chrisp Street Market today thanks to the help I got from HARCA. They put on the Pop-Up Business School which helped me get going in 2013, and then the team helped me with a move into a shop unit. I’ve also attended some of the Poplar & Bow Enterprise Network Strong local events so I am really excited about the future of the business.” Shahena Khan enterprise is a Owner, The Flower Boutique, Chrisp Street vital element of building a self-sustaining, inclusive “Playpen is an innovative co-working facility with crèche for people with young children in Poplar. The Accents Team community. has been an invaluable support from believing in the idea to providing a small grant. We could not have made this exciting project happen without them.” Accents has been Leo Wood working hard to help Founder of Play-Pen give local business a voice, support new start-ups and open up new and existing opportunities for local enterprise. Examples include... CHRISP STREET POPLAR & BOW MY PPLR WEBSITE POP-UP GET STARTED EAST EXCHANGE ENTERPRISE NETWORK PPLR ENTERPRISE BUSINESS SCHOOL £40,000 OF AFFORDABLE 300 BUSINESSES 18 NEW MICRO LOANS www.mypplr.com is an online, inclusive WORKSPACE REGISTERED portal for those living in, or visiting, Poplar. BUSINESSES Our micro-loans programme with Our co-working and enterprise Launched in 2015, the network strives to 2018 will see the enterprise section HACT and the London Small Business After considerable success in 2013, support hub launched recently. grow the voice of businesses in Poplar. of the site undergoing development Centre, was launched in May 2015. the team returned to Poplar with their Funded by the Mayor of London’s With 300 local businesses registered as and evolving to be the go-to platform It has been the most successful of the can-do attitude to business start- High Streets Fund, the hub is run by members, the network held quarterly for place-specific enterprise support. national pilots, supporting a range ups. This year, through two intensive the London Small Business Centre events throughout the year, focusing on This extension of the Poplar and Bow of local businesses with £40,000 of programmes, 18 new local businesses and Bow Arts and offers business networking, procurement and financing.