London Action Resource Centre

The London Action Resource Centre (LARC) is a "collectively run building providing space and resources for people and groups working on self-organised, non-hierarchical projects for radical social change". [ [http://www.londonarc.org/ Mission statement taken from LARC website] ] . Originally called the "Fieldgate Action Resource Centre", a company limited by guarantee, No. 03836099 [ [http://www.ukdata.com/creditreports/viewCompanyDetails.do?companyId=03836099 Company House Records] ] was set up with this name. In 1999 the building became the property of this company which is now known as the London Action Resource Centre Ltd. [B Proprietorship Registry No. NGL59400 available from [http://www.landsearch.net/landregistry/ The Land Registry] ] . The building is situated in Whitechapel, in the East End of London, and was formerly a synagogue and at one time housed the Louise Michel International Modern School.

Function of LARC

The London Action Resource Centre supports individuals and groups taking direct action on social and ecological issues, or engaging in other radical projects. Groups using the space include the London sections of Queeruption, Indymedia and Rising Tide UK. It also functions as an info-point for "Peoples Global Action".

The resources of the building include office space, computer and internet facilities, a roof garden and a radical library. The space is used for meetings, talks, yoga, self-defence, film screenings, womenzone, kids days, and banner/prop making for a variety of autonomous actions.

LARC is open to visit every Wednesday 1pm til 6pm, Thursday 4 til 9pm, and Sunday afternoon from 2pm til 5pm.

The address of LARC is 62 Fieldgate Street, Whitechapel, London, E1 1ES.

History of the project

LARC was purchased in the autumn of 1999 by people active in Reclaim the Streets [ [http://www.londonarc.org/larc_history.html LARC History] ] , just after their success in the Carnival against Capitalism which occurred June 18th 1999. It was rebuilt over three years.

Events which have occurred at LARC since January 2003 are listed on the group's website [ [http://www.londonarc.org/larc_archive2003.html List of events held at centre since January 2003] ]

History of the building

On Sunday 6th March 1921 the last of the English International Modern Schools opened at (62) Fieldgate Street. There was still a small group of Jewish anarchists living in London who had been associated with the Workers Friend Group, Louise Michel's International Modern School and the anarchist commune at Marsh House during the war. Some of these people, C.B Warwick, Helena Applebaum, A. Gilbert, E. Michaels and H. and E. Samuels formed themselves into a group known as the Free Educational Group and announced in Freedom in February 1921 that they were looking for teachers.

By June 1921, having started with 30 children, there were over 100 at the school, and there was an average weekly attendance of 85. The school declared it's aim "to combat the anti-social environment of capitalist education as operating through the state schools and the religious institutions, and to bring up the child in the spitit of freedom". The school intended to entertain "such subjects that may develop the young mind towards the love of nature, beauty. self-expression and social outlook and activity." Further, the method was to attempt to "interest and instruct without the use of domination." [Shotton J. (1993) "No Master High or Low - Libertarian Education and Schooling 1890-1990" Libertarian Education 095139973X]

The Fieldgate Street School continued until 1928, when it was forced to close because of a shortage of funds and difficulty in finding teachers.

References

ee also

* Social Centre
* Rampart Social Centre

External links

* [http://www.londonarc.org/ LARC website]
* [http://rts.gn.apc.org/index.htm London RTS website] (historical interest, not updated)
* [http://www.londonarc.org/International_Modern_School.html Louise Michel International Modern School]