The Dovetail

As part of our wider engagement work for the regeneration of the Carpenters Estate in Stratford, we transformed a vacant shop unit (that was previously used as a neighbourhood police station) into a new meanwhile-use space for residents. make:good led both the redesign and fit-out of the space, as well as curating the first 18 months of programmed activities within the space ensuring that this programming links to Newham’s corporate strategy of Towards a Fairer Newham. The Dovetail was conceived as more than a space to show regeneration plans but as a place for the residents and neighbours of Carpenters Estate to build connections, share skills, try out new activities and get involved with their local community. There were paid opportunities for people to plan and run their own sessions as well as lots of activities that they can take part in for free. Alongside these sessions we have programmes of activity that offer skills and training to support everybody to thrive. Our starting point was to ask local people how they would like to use a new community space, as well as understand the existing skills and passions of residents. As a result of these conversations, we made connections with residents who could deliver sessions and sought external providers who could provide the activities people said they’d like to see.