art studio, community/cultural
-, 1880
15a Davies Lane, E11 3DR
The doors to the building will be opened to the public. Not only will visitors get the opportunity to see "behind the scenes" but they will have the opportunity to bring along their food and drink and join the Our Pastures Community Garden Picnic, join taster sessions from site regulars and find out more about what takes place onsite. Activity fully booked? Waiting list: hello@weflockcic.org.uk
Leytonstone High Road
257, 145, 66, W13
Nearest Bus Stop: Leytonstone High Road station Stop J & Stop F
Step-free access to the ground floor and toilets. No lift in the building so the 1st and 2nd floors are only accessible via stairs.
The walking tours will include opportunities to rest.
Good Shepherd Studios is a building within a site located on a residential street off Leytonstone High Road. The site also comprises of the Pastures Centre and Our Pastures Community Garden.
The building was previously known as the Good Shepherd Building and was built around 1880 to facilitate a home for “fallen” girls.
Fast-forward a few decades and the site is now owned by the London Borough of Waltham Forest. In 2020 the buildings were under threat of demolition and redevelopment and became the subject of the “Save Our Pastures” community-led campaign.
After much petitioning, the site was saved and the Council invited bids to take a lease of the Good Shepherd Building. After a successful proposal, work commenced in August 2022 to bring the building back to life in the form of Good Shepherds Studios. Home to a collection of design-led co-working and community spaces, the foundations of Good Shepherd Studios are now in place and the community are being involved in the direction the space will take.
The site is shared between Good Shepherd Studios (which includes the building, garden and outdoor "People's Pavilion"), Our Pastures Community Garden and the Pastures Centre and Lawn.
The Community Garden is run by volunteers who invite gardeners of all levels to join them on Saturdays and Sundays 10.00-13.00.
The Pastures Centre and Lawn is run by Waltham Forest Council and used for a number of leisure and sporting events as well as a weekday centre and art project (Snaresbrook Arts Project) for adults with learning difficulties.