Newham Council accepts £904k to restore Forest Lane Park, improving access and biodiversity and creating artwork honouring activist Lucel Tate as part of a major heritage project
- The project will improve accessibility and biodiversity
- Create new statue to celebrate the life of activist Lucel Tate
Forest Lane Park was originally open fields used for agriculture, transforming in the 1840s with the arrival of the railway and eventually becoming home to an Industrial School for orphaned and abandoned children.
In the early 20th Century, the site served as a maternity hospital until its closure in 1985. Despite bomb damage during World War II, the park has evolved into the tranquil space featuring ponds, pathways and woodland areas.
The Restoration Project will improve how the park can be used and its biodiversity. The centrepiece of the project will be the creation of a new statue dedicated to Lucel Tate, who worked at the maternity hospital in the 1970s and was a prominent community activist. This statue will stand as a testament to her contributions and ensure that her story is shared with future generations.
Councillor John Whitworth, Cabinet Member for Air Quality, Climate Emergency & said: "The Forest Lane Park Restoration Project has seen our community come together to shape the future of one of Newham’s most treasured green spaces. This project not only honours the park’s rich history but also looks forward, making the park easier to use while boosting local wildlife. I’m particularly proud that we’ll be creating a new statue to celebrate Lucel Tate, a remarkable community activist whose legacy deserves to be remembered and shared with future generations. We are grateful to the National Lottery Heritage Fund for making this transformative project possible."
Lucel Tate was the first chair of the Hibiscus Caribbean Elderly Association and founder of the Hibiscus Community Centre. Her work focused on moving away from a 'one size fits all' approach to social care and housing, based on her understanding of the specific needs of Afro-Caribbean elders in her own community.
The project will reinstate her statue, which was recently removed, and will showcase her story.
Full restoration works are anticipated to begin in 2027.
Using money raised by National Lottery players, The National Lottery Heritage Fund supports projects that connect people and communities with the UK’s heritage. The Forest Lane Park Restoration Project is made possible with The National Lottery Heritage Fund.
