North Kensington Social Justice Archive project
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Recording social justice and inequality
For over 150 years, North Kensington has been at the centre of many campaigns and fights for social justice and equality. In summer 2022, members of the community proposed the idea of a social justice archive as a home for these stories.
In the Spring 2023, the council made a commitment to support the development of an archive in the North Kensington area.
Discovery phase
The first stage of this project was the Discovery Phase. The purpose of this six-month phase was to create an opportunity for independent input from the communities of North Kensington and get a better understanding of what was wanted from the Social Justice. UCL Consultants were appointed to progress this piece of engagement. Their final report is below. The report is 109 pages in total; an executive summary is provided in pages four to 16, which gives an overview of the project and its recommendations.
Physical copies of the report available at:
Council response
Cllr Kim Taylor-Smith, Deputy Leader of the Council and Lead Member for Employment, Culture and Economy, said:
“North Kensington is a special part of London that has been the backdrop to countless historic moments, campaigns and fights for social justice. We support the creation of a North Kensington Social Justice Archive to make a centralised home to commemorate and reflect on the important contributions from local people and groups. My thanks to UCLC for their work on the discovery phase report, and also to the community in North Kensington for their ongoing contribution, support and patience as we work to create a Social Justice Archive we can all be proud of.
“In February, the Council will share our proposed response to the Discovery Phase report for further consideration by our Select Committee, which will scrutinise how we will co-design the Community Steering Board, and our action plan which maps out the archive’s development, incorporating the accepted recommendations including the natural home for the archive being in North Kensington Library. I have heard loud and clear that the community want to see this important project delivered, and that is what I am committed to doing.”
Dr Pablo Sendra, Associate Professor of Planning & Urban Design at UCL, and author of the report, said:
“This has been a fascinating project. During the discovery phase of the North Kensington Social Justice Archive, we engaged with community archives, residents interested in local history, young people, and various groups and individuals that have contributed to social justice and supported communities in North Kensington. Local people are eager to see a Social Justice Archive where they can celebrate, share, and learn about the history of the area. As many residents put it, a place to learn about the past and inspire a more socially just future.”
A full response from the council and timeline for how the Archives and Local Studies team, in collaboration with the community, planned to progress after the discovery phase was presented alongside the report to the Family Services Select Committee for further consideration and scrutiny on Tuesday 4 February 2025.
Further reading
- Committee paper: Family Services Select Committee Paper 4 February 2025.pdf
The approach was agreed via a Key Decision which was approved in A Key Decision in May 2025.
- Key Decision: Key Decision Social Justice Archive May 2025.pdf
Next steps
Work is continuing on the archive and you can get involved:
- if you have stories you want to share with the archive, or collections or documents which may be of interest, email the team, [email protected] to arrange a discussion
- if you would like to receive direct updates on the project’s progress, email [email protected] to be added to the distribution list
- project updates will be given at the quarterly North Kensington Community Forum, at North Kensington Library. Anyone is welcome to attend. Meeting dates will be advertised in the library in advance, or email [email protected] for more information.
For any other questions email [email protected].