Proud Places Hub opens in the City, creating new opportunities for young Londoners
We are delighted to have opened the Proud Places Hub, a dedicated creative and heritage learning space for young people at One Golden Lane in the City of London.
Developed in partnership with Castleforge and Futurecity, the Hub provides a permanent home for our Proud Places programme and creates an exciting new base for workshops, careers activities, exhibitions, talks and public events.
The opening marks an important milestone for Proud Places. Since launching the programme in 2020 with support from the Jones Day Foundation, we have worked with more than 12,000 young Londoners, connecting them with heritage restoration projects, conservation skills, creative learning opportunities and career pathways, alongside our Proud Prospects careers programme.
The Proud Places Hub is the next step in that journey. Situated within the historic former Cripplegate Institute building, it gives us a purpose-designed space for the programme.
Located in the heart of the City, the Hub will bring young people together with businesses, professionals and mentors who can help them explore career pathways in heritage, design, architecture and the creative industries. Volunteers from City firms will support workshops, events and skills development opportunities throughout the year.
The opening celebration also highlighted the remarkable history of the building itself. More than 500 years ago, the original Cripplegate Foundation was established to support some of London's poorest residents. The Cripplegate Institute later became a centre for learning, education and opportunity. Today, thanks to the generosity of Castleforge, that philanthropic legacy continues through the creation of the Hub.
The Hub opens at a critical time. With nearly one million young people aged 16 to 24 currently not in education, employment or training across the UK, we believe it is more important than ever to provide opportunities that build skills, confidence and ambition. Through Proud Places, we use heritage as a springboard for engagement, helping young people discover new interests, develop valuable skills and connect with future careers.
We were thrilled that Phil Bowen, Chair of the Youth Justice Board, highlighted the social impact of the Proud Places programme at the event, saying: “We know children thrive when they feel they belong somewhere. We know that trusted relationships, often with an adult matter, and we know that meaningful activity, responsibility, achievement, hope, could change the direction of their lives. And so the gap is often not about between ignorance and knowledge. It's about knowing what works and doing what works. This Hub is quietly closing that gap.”
We would like to thank everyone who helped make the Proud Places Hub possible, particularly Michael Kovacs and the team at Castleforge; George Kekatos and colleagues at Futurecity; John Phillips and the Jones Day Foundation; Sarah Mangan from the Barbican; David and Molly Borthwick; Imago Interiors; artist Coralie Turpin; Brixton Radio who delivered a DJ set at the event, and the many volunteers, partners and supporters who have helped us grow Proud Places over the last six years.
Most importantly, we look forward to welcoming young Londoners through the doors of the Proud Places Hub and seeing the creativity, talent and ambition they bring with them. This is a space for them: a place to learn, create, connect and imagine new possibilities for the future.
