Portal Centre
for Social Impact
The Portal Centre for Social Impact builds on ten years of Social Responsibility at LCF, reflecting the drive and ambition to cultivate inclusive, collaborative, innovative spaces and programmes through which the Centre’s communities explore and fulfil their creative potential.
The Centre’s vision - a world where fashion and creativity can inspire and facilitate positive social change – is expressed through community projects, cultural collaborations and the ground-breaking Making for Change programme, that delivers vocational training and a social enterprise.
Located at Poplar Works and now LCF East Bank, the Portal Centre will continue to engage with creative practitioners, students and academics whilst extending local community engagement to Stratford and the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, continuing to support and nurture current and future creatives.
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Making for Change | Credit: Christopher Woloshak | Graphic design: Lauren Chalmers | London College of Fashion | UAL
Making for Change
Making for Change is the Portal Centre’s award-winning vocational fashion and textiles training and production programme.
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Community image | Credit: Adam Razvi | Portal Centre for Social Impact | London College of Fashion | UAL
Community
Community is at the heart of everything we do. We bring people together to learn from each other, building confidence and community cohesion.
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Design and Make - Art Against Knives | Photography by Hanna Puskarz | London College of Fashion | University of Arts London
Cultural engagement
Our partnerships with arts and cultural organisations across the four Olympic boroughs are equitable, meaningful and sustainable.
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Life Drawing | BA (Hons) Fashion Imaging and Illustration | London College of Fashion | University of Arts London
Student experience
We create space for students engage with social and community-based agendas, connecting them with real-world issues and to innovate their practice.
Project archive
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Design and Make | Art Against Knives | Portal Centre for Social Impact | Photography by Hanna Puskarz
The Portal Centre for Social Impact team
The team offer a broad range of skills and expertise enabling a focus on the management and delivery of activities and projects as well as ensuring the evaluation and impact is evidenced. Led by the Director of Social Responsibility, the Heads, their wider teams and the Projects Coordinator work together to deliver the vision, aims and objectives of the Centre. The Centre Director and Heads represent at both College and University level strategic meetings: Knowledge Exchange, Placemaking, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Committee, Cultural Programming and East Bank.
Claire Swift: Director of Social Responsibility and the Portal Centre for Social Impact
Anna Ellis: Head of Business Development
Anna Millhouse: Head of Cultural Partnerships
Camilla Butler: Head of Social Impact
Jess Tierney: Head of Community Development
Jo Reynolds: Projects Coordinator
Lauren McKirdy: Special Projects Manager
Making for Change: HMP Downview
Caron Morris: Lecturer in Fashion Production
Tracyann Little: Lecturer in Quality Control
Making for Change: Poplar Works
Alex Currie: Innovative Production Specialist
Rohan Tait: Production Cutting Assistant
Sudhir Kohila: Senior Production Machinist
Nosira Begum: Junior Production machinist
Speaking for Ourselves
The Portal Centre for Social Impact team speak about their experiences.
Funders
The Ministry of Justice, The Portal Trust, The Worshipful Company of
Mercers, The Worshipful Company of Girdlers, The Sheriffs’ and Recorder’s
Fund, The Worshipful Company of Broderers, The Worshipful Company of
Merchant Taylors, The Worshipful Company of Drapers, The Worshipful
Company of Weavers.
Collaborators
Aberfeldy Community Centre
Aberfeldy Big Local (now Feldy)
Art Against Knives Charity
Anchor Trust
Bethany Williams
Bow Arts
Bromley By Bow Centre
East London NHS Foundation Trust
Emmaus Greenwich
Fine Cell Work
Historic England
HMP Send
Mending for Good
Office of Greater London High Sheriff
Mending for Good
Rosetta Arts
Royal Pahang Weave Foundation
San Patrignano
Spotlight
Stitches in Time
Sirlute / Roots Barbers
Working Chance
Zegna Foundation
Partners
HMP Downview
Newham College of Further Education
Poplar HARCA
The Trampery