Delancey continues to support London’s heritage with sponsorship of flagship Proud Places conference
HOLT held its flagship annual conference this year on its pioneering youth engagement programme Proud Places
Delancey sponsored the event with over 130 people attending, including many young people
Delancey’s ESG Director, Christina Rehnberg, chaired the final afternoon session.
22 March 2023: Real estate company Delancey has continued its longstanding support of the Heritage of London Trust, the capital’s independent heritage charity established by the Greater London Council to rescue historic buildings and monuments, by sponsoring its recent flagship conference in Piccadilly.
‘Proud Places: Reconnecting Young Lives’ was hosted at the Society of Antiquaries, next to the Royal Academy in Piccadilly, and was open to the public with young people showcasing their work through exhibitions and presentations, alongside talks by inspirational speakers such as Lord John Bird and Lib Peck, plus poetry, stonemasonry demonstrations and so much more.
The conference had over 130 people attending including representatives from different London boroughs, and made a big impact on those who came. 80% of those attending felt the day had changed their understanding of youth engagement work, saying:
“I really appreciated the incredible range and the really authentic approach.”
“It was fantastic to see the wonderful creativity shown, the variety and originality of the work. It’s so good to see young people being able to give expression to their thoughts and feelings in such a versatile and tactile way.”
“I was greatly encouraged to see the wide range of people who care so much that children are able to reach their full potential.”
Delancey’s ESG Director, Christina Rehnberg, chaired the final afternoon session where attendees heard from Ola Ugwu from Bingham Centre for the Rule of Law, and Swanlea School students who spoke about active citizenship; and New Citizens Gateway Youth Leader, Maryam Ansari: who discussed her work with refugees. Arnaud William Mbaki also performed some of his poetry that explored the hidden histories of the HOLT projects.
Jamie Ritblat, Founder and Chairman of Delancey commented: “We were blown away by the quality of the young people’s exhibitions and presentations. It was so inspiring to see the passion they had for the arts and heritage sector and I’m very grateful to have been able to play a small role in the great work the charity undertakes. Delancey has been partnering HOLT since 2017 and we look forward to continuing to support the organisation’s incredible efforts across the city.”
Dr Nicola Stacey, Director of the Heritage of London Trust, added: “A huge thanks to Delancey for not only their generous sponsorship of the conference but for supporting our mission to engage communities across London for so many years. Delancey is committed to social impact in the arts and has brought such vitality to projects with their warmth and enthusiasm. We look forward to continuing our partnership.”
Heritage of London Trust (HOLT) is London’s independent heritage charity helping restore historic buildings and monuments across London. It has been spearheading restoration projects for over 40 years, rescuing over 750 heritage sites that the public can now enjoy. Delancey became a major donor of the Heritage of London Trust in February 2017, supporting projects across the city from Bow to Bermondsey.
Proud Places invites 11-18 year olds to get up close to heritage projects, learn new skills and take part in creative workshops increasing young people’s confidence and curiosity and helping them feel more connected to their local area. Launched in 2020, the Proud Places programme is funded by the Jones Day Foundation.
