China Exchange has developed a large scale project to gather, document and share the history of London’s Chinatown from the 1960s to the present day. With funding awarded by the Heritage Lottery Fund, we will work with volunteers and our community to develop and archive the tangible and intangible heritage of Gerrard Street and the surrounding area.
Through our work to develop Chinatown Stories, our community-led walking tours, we found that there are very few documented histories on the development of what is now an iconic part of the London cultural landscape, Chinatown. As a charity that works to encourage an interest in China and its impact on the world, and research by our CEO into Chinatowns around the world, we know that we needed to create a focal point, a place where London wide visitors and locals could come to understand Chinatown better and in an accessible way.
Without the generous support of National Lottery Heritage Fund, China Exchange would not be able to carry out this project that we feel is of utmost importance in representing, understanding and appreciating Chinatown.