Generations United brought together an intergenerational group of men and boys from George Mitchell Primary School and Leyton Orient Walking Football Club, to explore themes of Games, Play and Teamwork.

Led by artists, Ben Connors and Surya Turner, the group considered questions such as, where do we come from? Who are our heroes and who are our role models? What do we mean by leadership? What characteristic do we share with the animals we often see as mascots? Using poetry, drawing and collage to illustrate and exchange their ideas.

Community Mural

One activity, creating self-portraits through collage, emerged as a strong visual element to represent the group as individuals but also as a team. This activity was recreated with the whole of Year 5. Each individual portrait formed the basis for a new school mural painted by the intergenerational group.

This was a very enjoyable and rewarding project for us all. We all commented on how polite the boys were and how well they engaged and communicated with us. Interaction between the generations was very natural and the boys gained in confidence throughout the project. We were very impressed with the way the boys spoke of their family roots and their understanding of diversity. We all felt the boys were a credit to their school and their families.

Mick Mullens, Leyton Orient Walking Football Club

Partners

Leyton Orient FC has been an important part of the community in Leyton since the club was founded in 1881. The club has seen many changes in that time but local support has always been strong. Leyton Orient Trust was set-up as a means for the club to invest in the local community with the goal of using the power of sport to improve life chances. The shared aspiration to make a difference in people’s lives and build stronger communities set the groundwork for a strong partnership between The O’s and Quality Street.

Photo credits Samia Meah