HOLT at Buckingham Palace

We were thrilled that our Director Nicola and our Trustee John Phillips were able to join the King and Queen for the Creative Industries Garden Party at Buckingham Palace on 15 May. The King spoke at some length to Nicola about HOLT’s work and they discussed their shared commitment to London’s heritage, “so much of which has already been lost”. It was a glorious day with so many other brilliant arts & culture organisations and a chance to share their enthusiasm about the future of the Creative Industries.

Work begins on United Service Transport Mosaic

Work has begun on the restoration of the United Service Transport Company mosaic in Southfields.

The 43-feet long green and gold sign dates from the 1920s and marks the hub of the ‘United Service Transport Company Ltd’, one of the first Passenger Transport companies in the UK. For nearly 50 years, ‘United Green’ coaches served day trippers from across London for days out to the seaside, historic towns and racing meets. The sign is a rare and attractive piece 1920s industrial heritage which had been in very poor condition and at risk of total loss.

Along with local residents’ association Southfields Grid Residents’ Association, HR Owen who own the site, generous local donors, the Sutton Byre Charitable Trust and the Jones Day Foundation, HOLT raised the funds to restore the mosaic. Work has now begun by specialist conservators London Stone Conservation.

Our Proud Places programme will be engaging local young people in the project.

Work begins on Leaning Woman Statue

We are delighted to confirm that restoration work will begin on the Leaning Woman Statue on 7 May. This important 1959 statue by Czech sculptor Dr Karel Vogel was commissioned as part of the LCC’s post-War Patronage of the Arts Scheme but in recent years it had been deteriorating with its armature corroding.

We are hugely grateful to all the members of the public, the St Peters’ Residents Association and Hammersmith & Fulham Council for supporting the project and we are excited to see work starting.

Young people will continue to be involved through our Proud Places youth engagement programme.

Work will take place through May and June and we will have a public launch with the local community in July 2024.

There will be opportunities for supporters of this project to come and visit the conservators, Sally Strachey Conservation, at work and please be in touch with us direct on info@heritageoflondon.org if you would like us to contact you.