Lambeth and partners help Black Archives get birthday-ready

7 August 2019

Written by: Lambeth Council

Arts, culture and events - Jobs and skills - Voluntary and community sector

Workwise and Lambeth contractor partners Engie helped Brixton’s Black Cultural Archive look its best for its 5th anniversary celebrations

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Lambeth and partners help Black Archives get birthday-ready

Over the last few months Workwise  – the partnership between Lambeth Council and St Mungo’s homelessness charity to get residents  whose homes are at risk because of Benefits reform – ready for work –  have been working closely with the Black Cultural Archives.

Support for Workwise from the Black Cultural Archive

BCA have supported Workwise by offering:

  • Work experience in voluntary roles to boost CVs
  • Free use of a meeting room for confidence and motivation sessions
  • Taking over the role of reading tutor and offering adult reading sessions at the Black Cultural Archives.

Painting a room

As a thank you gesture, Workwise worked in partnership with Lambeth Council housing repairs and new build partners Engie to find volunteers to redecorate the BCA cafe.  A small team of volunteers led by Julian Sanz, Engie’s Community Impact Manager,  completed the work in a day. They even found time to also do some touch-up paintwork on the main hallways and conference room.  All the paint was donated by Dulux and received with thanks.

5th birthday for BCA

Team of decorators at Black Cultural Archive

Team of decorators at Black Cultural Archive

The redecoration was timed to coincide with Black Cultural Archives’ 5 year anniversary, and Michael Williams, BCA Manager, said: “A massive thank you to both ENGIE and Lambeth Council for their support this week, we have a big 5th Anniversary celebration and we’re keen to ensure that the BCA looks its best.”

For more information

Black Cultural Archives is the home of Black British History, collecting, preserving and celebrating people of African and African Caribbean descent in the UK.. See their information pages for details of exhibitions, opening times, and more.

If you’d like to volunteer at the BCA, find what roles are available online