SPACE turning liabilities into assets Accents is an award-winning placemaking consultancy, born in Poplar, East London but working COMMUNITY enabling people to define their futures across the capital and beyond. BUSINESS We conceive and deliver building identity and a stronger social, economic, cultural and local economy environmental regeneration strategies and projects that grow PLACE cohesive places, whilst creating celebrating heritage and finding sustainable revenues that bring fresh opportunity in future change investment into the community. PEOPLE turning individual passions into projects 74,428 people engaged in Accents-led events and projects Over £10.4m invested in Poplar 282 businesses and community networks launched or supported, creating 52 local jobs 553 events delivered ACCENTS’ £587,367 realised in energy FIRST 5 savings for housing tenants £407,331 generated YEARS in new lettings 142,791 polluting car miles removed from Poplar’s roads Engaged 438 volunteers, giving 29,664 volunteer hours Over £4.8 million value in positive publicity for Poplar “Surging property prices have led BALFRON SEASON to the loss of small business start- 2014 saw a summer of culture in Balfron Tower, up space, while our city’s creative opening Erno Goldfinger’s iconic masterpiece to workforce is being driven out” the public. The season included RIFT’s celebrated production of Macbeth, Bow Arts’ London Festival of Sadiq Khan Architecture projects and the National Trust’s pop- Mayor of London up flat designed by Wayne and Tilly Hemingway. 3,500 visitors came to the events, which garnered £1.2m in positive publicity. “I’ve lived in Poplar all my life and have been photographing its changing Work, cultural and shape over the last 18 years. Accents has democratised space previously leisure space must inaccessible, adding colour and life. For my Transition be embedded in the photography project, this SPACE meant a really well attended exhibition in the heart of the capital’s physical Lansbury estate” change SOLAR PANELS OPEN POPLAR Michael Mulcahy, Photographer & Over the last 5 years our solar Award-winning initiative launched Poplar resident panels programme has seen the in 2015, turning liability space into installation of 6,688 panels across assets. The first two rounds generated Poplar. £36,000 in energy savings over 200 proposals with 35,500sqm for residents have been realised of ideas, £430,000 investment and to date, and the programme will £67,000 in annual rent, rising each generate £2m income over the next year. Spaces transformed include 20 years, ringfenced specifically affordable studios from a fire- for community investment and damaged basement, the UK’s first Accents looks differently at reducing carbon emissions. Haitian coffee shop and numerous space, to maximise value for meanwhile activities. stakeholders, businesses and communities, existing and new. “Never doubt that committed citizens can change the world – indeed, it is the only thing that ever has” Margaret Mead POPLAR PEDDLERS R-URBAN “I’ve lived here all my life and know a lot of people. But I’d Uniting road-cycling middle-aged R-Urban, operated by Public Works lost contact with people as men in lycra, young people on BMXs, architecture and art collective, we didn’t have a common Bangladeshi mums and people offers a unique programme of place to socialise. Now I learning to ride a bike, Poplar Peddlers workshops, events, discussions meet up with old friends is truly inclusive. The group was and summer schools. Focussing on every Friday and it’s great to established in 2015 with regular group urban sustainability and citizen- reconnect with them again. An area’s people rides and cycling training. 2018 saw led technology, local people come We have a lot of lost time to a new BMX track at Langdon Park, together through sharing food and make up and chat” COMMUNITY are its key asset delivered in partnership with learning new skills. The site has a Access Sport. classroom, community kitchen, micro- Aberfeldy resident anaerobic digester, tool library and who goes to the raised growing spaces, making use of Tommy Flowers a former carpark. THE TOMMY FLOWERS The Tommy Flowers, East London’s Accents supports a range first community pub, was set up in of local groups, projects partnership with Aberfeldy Big Local and local artist collective Fitzrovia Noir. and networks to help grow Tea room and art gallery by day, pub by their capacity and take ever night, it has become a much-loved social stronger roles in shaping their hub for the whole community, long-term and new residents alike. communities. “There are now 4.8 million small businesses in the UK and they form the lifeblood of every city economy across the country” Centre for Cities “Launch22 has had nothing but a positive experience working with the Accents team. From initial conversations through to launch, they have been CHRISP STREET ARBEIT E14 communicative, open to collaboration and flexible EXCHANGE Through our Open Poplar programme, with our requirements as This intervention in the regeneration creative workspace provider Arbeit a small, growing business. of Poplar’s district centre improved converted a fire-damaged basement Strong local enterprise The team are extremely enterprise space, supported business underneath flats in the Lansbury professional and we’ve kept growth and amplified local voice. estate into 12 affordable studios. in regular contact since is a vital element Mayor of London investment saw Local tenants include creative launching our space. We look 1,028sqm improved commercial practitioners across digital production, forward to a long-lasting of building self- space, upgraded shop fronts, and graphic design and visual arts. Start- BUSINESS business relationship with 300 businesses supported. The Pop ups work alongside more established the team.” sustaining, inclusive Up Business School and a microloans small businesses and all can take programme offered enterprise advantage of a shared gallery space Tom Previte communities support, while the Poplar & Bow on the site. Head of Operations, Enterprise Network provided a B2B Launch22 platform for trade and networking. LAUNCH 22 @ CHRISP STREET EXCHANGE Our co-working and enterprise support hub launched in 2016. Funded by the Mayor of London’s High Streets Fund, the hub Accents gives local business a is run by Launch 22 and offers affordable desks and meeting space to a range of local businesses. Accompanying business voice, supports start-ups and growth programmes include incubation, mentoring in a range of opens up new and existing enterprise essentials and regular networking and hackathon events. opportunities for enterprise. “Without a past you AIR QUALITY can’t have a future” Air pollution is a major concern across London. Accents’ Michael Ende partnership with the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, University of East London and climate change groups is delivering a programme of behavioural change activities, community events, schools programmes and targeted local interventions. A masterplan, ‘A12: Green Mile’, has been developed detailing potential green infrastructure interventions, with the first stages currently being implemented. “What’s exciting about the team is that they work with what’s there, with what’s The capital is coming and with open minds, spying the opportunity to changing rapidly: make the right interventions at the right time. For the London’s population A12 they have structured PLACE a masterplan of potential green interventions with is set to reach 11 partners and are securing chances to make each million by 2050 ANGELA LANSBURY LANSBURY MICRO a reality.” FILM FESTIVAL MUSEUM Dr Paula Vandergart 2014 was a homecoming for Dame Since opening in 2016, the V&A’s Sustainability Research Angela Lansbury, grand-daughter of Lansbury Micro Museum has Fellow, University politician, social reformer and local attracted 3,603 visitors through its of East London hero, George Lansbury. Personally evolving exhibitions, exploring the selected screenings of seven of her story of this part of East London. It most iconic movies delighted residents re-illuminates the area, bringing new old and young, with Chrisp Street visitors and broadening understanding Market transformed into an outdoor of Poplar’s Festival of Britain heritage. Accents reflects on cultural cinema for the event. The festival The museum is run by local volunteers identity - past, present and was brought about through Accents’ and curated by the V&A, ahead of its partnership with the George Lansbury move to Eastbank in 2022. future, to create places for all the Memorial Committee, and garnered community, current and new. £1.2m in positive publicity. “It doesn’t make sense to hire smart “I’ve enjoyed being involved with Accents and the people and then tell them what to incredible amount of do; we hire smart people so they interesting, detailed and can tell us what to do” involved research they do to secure financial investment Steve Jobs for ground breaking projects and to maximise their value. A good example is the Photovoltaics project, which combines energy creation with solving a range of other SWING EAST WOMEN EAST problems, from personal 2019 saw Estates Team Leader Nelson Inspired by the suffrage centenary, health to major company Piperides’ sixth Swing East, the festival Personal Assistant Nicola Rushton network supply issues.” which celebrates the best of swing started Women East in Stroudley Peter Harrold People are most music, dance and vintage markets, Walk, Bow, where Sylvia Pankhurst Lead Electrical in its 1951 Chrisp Street home. Over gave her first speech on the back of Engineer, 4,000 people come each year to dance a cart. Now looking to the next 100 Poplar HARCA productive when to the hottest bands, and eat and drink years, Women East empowers women from local food stalls. Christmas and and girls through arts and politics, PEOPLE they work on what Valentine events and regular swing providing a platform for all the diverse dance classes have also been a hit.