On a wonderfully sunny evening of Wednesday June 24th 2009, Family Action celebrated its part in the Story of London for the last 140 years with a story-telling event at Red Cross Garden in Borough, London. Family Action were established in London in 1869 and have worked with families across the city, and subsequently throughout England, in a variety of settings confronting a range of challenges. Thanks to a grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund took part in the Mayor’s 2009 Story of London project.
To compliment the June event, we produced a booklet and DVD containing stories from our rich historical archive, alongside stories and memories of family life in London as told by some of the families we currently support. Click on the image above to read our Story 140 booklet, and you can watch the film below.
Our Annual Review of 1921 – when we were still called the Charities Organisation Society – notes the following:
‘The Society is feeling more and more the after-effects of the war, both in the increase of the workload upon it and in the decrease of funds at its disposal and lack of volunteers to help with work. Many causes contribute to this dearth of volunteer workers; first and most obvious is the general lowering of incomes and contraction of the leisured class. But there are other reasons, also due to the war, why many who can still afford to take up voluntary social work of the kind that the Society offers do not respond to the call. There is the unwillingness to do unpaid work of the young woman who tasted during the war the delights of earning money, an unwillingness which must not unfairly be labelled as merely selfish…’
As well as these stories of the past are stories of the present day, told in words and pictures by families in Islington who access our service at Holloway Road. These families worked with storyteller Mary Medlicott to capture their tales of London life; of families, memories and personal journeys. One of our current service users, a mother, had this to say about moving to London:
When I came to London in 1990, the first thing I noticed was the weather. It was very cold. I had no coats or anything, just summer clothes. I felt very cold. I found it a very big city, I thought I was lost. I could see a lot of houses. Back home the houses are all spread out. I didn’t understand a word of English. It took me quite some time to learn some little words like ‘hello’. I lived with my aunty in Hendon.
"“I felt homesick – quite down at first. It gets dark quite early. Most of your life is spent indoors. In Africa it’s outside, outside all the time.”
Family Action service user
You still go out in London, go to College. I got used to London when I went to college, did a course, started speaking a little bit. You can make friends too. Even if you don’t speak good English but you can express yourself, it’s OK. As long as I’m wearing my layers, I’m OK.
These stories of the past and the present give insights into both the role of Family Action in the capital (and in the field of social work more generally), and into the everyday experiences of families in London. Just take a moment and think how many stories lie behind every family that has lived in London, for the last 140 years, and beyond.
Read more stories from the
archives.
For more information please contact Maddy Ryle, Media & Campaigns Manager:
maddy.ryle@family-action.org.uk.