New artwork celebrates local stories and community spirit in Friary Park

A new public artwork created with Acton residents and young people was unveiled at the temporary Friary Park Community Centre in Acton as part of a Black History Month celebration. 

Published: 12/12/2025

The event marked the completion of a special heritage project that honours the stories, memories, and hopes of local residents, past and present. 

Delivered by ARTification, a charity that brings together people and places through art, the project was jointly funded by not-for-profit housing association Peabody and developer Mount Anvil as part of the Friary Park regeneration.  

A celebration of people and place 

Over about 18 months, residents of Friary Park and Acton shared their stories, photos, and memories through creative workshops and interviews for the Y-OUR Story: Friary Park History project.  

These contributions inspired the new public artwork called “Echoes of Friary Park” which was created by artists from The Imprint Hub collective. Weaving together images, maps, and words the piece reflects both the neighbourhood’s rich history and its bright future. 

Alongside the artwork, a short film and an exhibition were created to celebrate the spirit of the area and the people who live there. The exhibition at the community centre filled the space with artwork created during the workshops, historic photographs and a collaborative piece reflecting residents’ visions for the future of Friary Park. 

Filmmakers Mike McKenzie, Director of MAD4 Films and Erduan Xhaferi, Creative Director of Society Dance Academy / SD Media (Youth Led Media Team) led the film project. They worked with community partners JE Delve - a local youth charity, which was set up by the late Jamal Edwards MBE, who once lived in Friary Park. Young local people helped to create the film, learning new skills in storytelling, oral history, design and filmmaking along the way. 

 A community coming together 

At the event, Rupa Huq, MP for Ealing Central & Acton, did the honours by cutting the ribbon on the day. 

Guests also included Ealing councillor for Walpole ward, Grace Quansah, representatives from Peabody, Mount Anvil and ARTification. They were joined by community partners from Sonshine Smiles and JE Delve, as well as local people of all generations.  

Guests also enjoyed a screening of the project film, heartfelt speeches from local partners, and a performance of spoken word, poetry and rap by some of the young people who attend youth sessions run by JE Delve at Friary Park.  

Sonshine Smiles, a community organisation that organises trips for residents and ran the summer programme earlier this year, also hosted a Black History Month workshop at the event. Mum’s Caribbean Restaurant provided refreshments and food. 

Rachel Pepper, ARTification Founder & Director, said: “Friary Park has always had this incredible sense of community. People have lived here for decades, supported each other through everything, and built lasting relationships. The genuine care and connection between neighbours really came through in the stories people shared. One of the most powerful parts of this project was seeing how people connected with the history of Friary Park - whether it was memories of the old ice cream factory that used to be here, or stories passed down through generations. The project really brought those memories to life and showed just how much pride people have in Friary Park.” 

Keisha Scott, Neighbourhood Coordinator at Peabody, said: “Listening to residents, hearing their stories, and understanding what matters most to them is really important to us. The art pieces and film truly echo the strong sense of community at Friary Park, and the project is a reminder of how powerful it is when people come together to share ideas and creativity.”

Sola Estefanos, our Head of Community Engagement at Mount Anvil, said: “‘Echoes of Friary Park’ captures the pride, history and community spirit that makes Friary Park so special. It reflects the many voices we’ve listened to throughout our time here and we’re grateful to the Peabody residents and partners who helped bring it to life. At Mount Anvil, we’re committed to regeneration that honours local stories while creating opportunities for the future and this project is a wonderful example of that in action.” 

Looking ahead, there are plans to move the artwork to the new permanent community centre, which is planned to be built during phase three of the redevelopment of Friary Park.  

The regeneration, led by Peabody and Mount Anvil, will deliver around 1,345 homes along with new green spaces and improvements for pedestrians, making the neighbourhood even safer, more well-connected and welcoming for everyone.