Eastside Community Heritage The East London People’s Archive was established in 1999 and contains irreplaceable oral history record- ings of approximately 1700 and 24000 photographs. Over the past seventeen years Eastside has worked with over 10000 individuals, 900 organisations, produced 80 exhibitions, published 16 books, 25 video documentaries and undertaken a total of over 200 community heritage based projects. Much of the organisation’s work relies on intergenerational and intercultural practice.
Each film tells unique, moving and powerful stories from ‘Ordinary East Londoners’ (those who are often hidden from history), celebrating their lives and achievements, and at times speaking about their dreams and aspirations for the future. Introduced by ECH and young film-makers from the Barking and Dagenham Ab-Phab group.
Turn Back Time, AbPhab, 18 mins, 2010. Produced and filmed by a group of young people from the Ab-phab group in Barking and Dagenham. The group spent a year exploring local archives, visiting museums and finding out about their local history, as well as learning camera, filming, oral history interviewing and editing skills. They also explored the history of disabled workers from REMPLOY in Dagenham and discovered a wonderful resource of archive film footage which is included in the film.
The People’s Park, AbPhab, 20 mins. The People’s Park. In this film, AbPhab meet older residents from Barking and explore the history of their beloved park.
We’ll Meet Again, AbPhab 3 mins. As part of their Making Music project, AbPhab recorded their own version of Vera Lynn’s ever- popular song We’ll Meet Again.
A Job for Me, Ab-Phab, 10 mins, 2012. Made by the young people from the Ab-Phab youth group in Barking and Dagenham, the film explores the opportunities for young disabled people in looking and finding a job, and tells moving stories of their hopes, aspirations and dreams for the future.
Memory Games, 10 mins, 2012. Paralympics Gold medallist Beverly Gull MBE describes her journey to become the best swimmer in the world, winning 8 gold medals for Britain in the 1988 and 1992 Paralympics Games. The film also features local sporting heroes from Barking and Dagenham, including disabled world swimming record holder Craig Moate.
The Kamal Chunchie Story, 17 mins, 2009. Kamal Chunchie founded the first community centre for the Black and Asian community in Canning Town in the 1920s. This is a powerful moving story, told by his daughter, of one man’s contribution and dedication to the local community. Produced in partnership with the Hibiscus Caribbean Elders’ group.
East London NHS Foundation Trust
Voices from The Green Place, East London NHS service users, 12 mins, 2011. A video diary by an allotment group telling the story of what can be done when people work together to get back on their feet.
Together! 2012
Together! Talking Point: Breakdown in Communication, Film Workshop Participants, 12 mins, 2012. Participants made this at the Together! film-making workshops with Gary Thomas on 5 & 6 December 2012. A round table discussion takes place between disabled and Deaf people. Are the barriers that Deaf job-seekers face solely due to lack of awareness of the Access to Work scheme? Or do the real problems begin at the JobCentre?