Final Week Of Our Crowdfund

After three weeks of crowdfunding – thanks to the generosity of  87 supporters – we have raised £11,304, which is close to half of our target of £25,000 to publish the book of Sarah Ainslie’s photographs, accompanied by an exhibition of the pictures.

We have just a week to go now and I call upon my readers to help us at this crucial moment. If every reader of Spitalfields Life gave even a small donation, we could reach our total today. Additionally, if you are able to contribute now, this will build momentum and encourage others.

CLICK HERE TO VISIT THE CROWDFUND

I believe Sarah Ainslie’s book is important. Firstly, because these are seriously good photographs. Secondly, because our world is shaped by the work done by women who are too often unseen and this project is a means to give them visibility and celebrate them. Thirdly, because – by documenting working women through four decades – Sarah has created a vital record of social change.

Below you can read some of the things supporters have been saying and see some pages from the book.

‘Sarah Ainslie’s portraits are always wonderful, and it will be a joy to see these pictures of women gathered together in what will I know be the be the beautiful trademark hardback of a Spitalfields Life publication.’ Arbabella Warner

‘Wonderful to see this compelling visual testimony to women’s work. Thank you for bringing it to light.’ Olivia Horsfall Turner

‘Thank you for your work recognising and celebrating women’s lives.’ Caz Richards

‘Lived in the East End for 40+ years. An inspired book Sarah.’ LisaFerguson

‘Good luck with the book. It sounds great.’ Alice Rawsthorn

‘This is an amazing project. Good luck with the crowdfund and looking forward to the publication. Best, Fatima’

‘Looking forward to seeing this in print. Well done Sarah!’ David Hoffman

‘This will be a wonderful, inspiring and fascinating book. So looking forward to seeing it published.’ Mary Norden

‘Bravo for the women doing the work, and Sarah for celebrating them!’ Robin Huffman

‘The Alcove in Rhode Island is one of the only publicly accessible libraries in the world focused entirely on women at work. We are thrilled to support this book, and to someday boast a copy on our shelves.’

‘Lovely portraits of terrific women. It’s so nice to see ordinary people and their work photographed with such skill.’ Mary Dalton

‘What an amazing project! So happy to support it.’ Vivienne Palmer

‘A wonderful celebration of the work of women in the East End. For my 3rd great great grandmother Isabella Hirst and her four daughters Isabella, Charlotte, Elizabeth and Harriett.’ Carolyn Hirst

Here are a few excerpts from the pages of the book.

Bow food bank volunteers

‘There are number of women who work in teams like the rubbish collectors and street sweepers. When I went out on the dustcart in Hackney it was interesting to experience at first-hand what their work entails and how much we don’t think about the services that are seemingly unseen, it also gave me an insight into how important it was for them to be able to create their own systems of working as a team, to be in charge of their own patch in their own way. Often the smell would become overwhelming as we drove around the streets, stopping periodically to collect and empty the bins. I really enjoyed the moments during their tea breaks whilst sitting in the back of the truck chatting, laughing and sharing snippets of their lives with each other as they did crosswords.’ Sarah Ainslie

‘I think one of the most fascinating places in the East End is C. E. Burns in Bacon St, a second-hand furniture and bric-a-brac store, and finding Carol Burns within her personal domain of a garden shed that is her office, she is a woman in charge sitting gloriously in the midst of the office paraphernalia, filing boxes filled with receipts spilling everywhere, memorabilia and family photos especially those of her dad Charlie Burns who was an East End waste paper merchant and boxing entrepreneur. I loved all these details that told a story about her and the family and the life that they had lived and whose business she now runs.’ Sarah Ainslie

‘The labour force in the area of health, well-being and caring is predominantly made up of women who are often unrecognised for their work, their capacity for care is so vital to each of our lives. It was a great experience to have access to so many different hospital departments at Homerton Hospital where everyone gave me their precious time and a greater understanding of how a hospital works, especially as I had been a patient there only the year before. As I photographed I very quickly realized that everyone from consultants, doctors, nurses, midwives and admin staff to cleaners, physios, chaplains, and porters are interdependent and all equally important to each other and the patients, and without any one of those elements the hospital would cease to function properly.’ Sarah Ainslie

‘I discovered Shirif Izzet one morning when I walked into Solis Launderette (owned by her brother) where she is the manager. She was so welcoming to me and everyone who came in, and as we were chatting, she kept going off to make mugs of tea and biscuits for the elders who were waiting for their washing. On the walls there were photographs of customers and postcards that they had sent from their holidays, revealing a genuine feeling of warmth and care for the community. When I asked about coming to photograph her, she immediately said she would and was happy to do it right there and then, so that’s what we did. Launderettes are part of the wonderful places to have around us, not just to get your washing done or a service wash but a place that is warm and friendly to hang out in, they are a hub like cafes, chicken shops, libraries and community centres.’ Sarah Ainslie