"The Brady Club – A Legacy for the Future" serves as a poignant call to action for increased funding and support for youth services, and comprises the culmination of an eight-year research and digitisation project, which celebrates the rich history and ongoing impact of the pioneering Brady Clubs.

The Brady Boys’ Club opened in 1896 in the heart of London’s former Jewish East End and by 1925 the Brady Girls’ Club was established, moving to purpose-built facilities in Hanbury Street E1 in 1935. For many years, the Girls’ Club was led and developed by the irrepressible Miriam Moses OBE JP who recognised the need for girls as well as boys to have life enhancing experiences. Together, the Brady Clubs provided youth facilities and expanded the horizons of largely underprivileged young people for over 80 years. The Clubs became an exemplar of youth work, particularly throughout the 1950s and 1960s, and for decades provided a safe haven, fostering personal growth, community engagement and resilience in the Club members. Today, the Brady Arts and Community Centre (BACC), which occupies the original Brady Girls Club building in Hanbury Street, continues the legacy of this good work (despite the increasing challenges of cuts to funding) for new generations of young people from diverse ethnicities. ‘Brady’ as it is affectionately known by all generations who have attended the space, commands love, gratitude and loyalty from all its community.

This immersive exhibition explores the immense impact of youth provision on both the individuals concerned and society at large. Throughout the exhibition, visitors will be given the opportunity to engage with the Brady Club experience: through digital links to podcasts and stories, by listening to music, playing games, dressing up, and sitting in the canteen environment to read youth-generated Club magazines and examine Brady Club Holiday albums. The exhibition offers a compelling showcase of archival photographs, many of which originated from a forgotten cache, which had been rescued from disposal by Hannah Charlton (a former editor of the Sunday Times) when the National Museum of Labour History closed in Limehouse in the early 1980s. Also on display are historical artefacts and personal narratives, which delve into Brady’s storied past and can be explored at a listening post. Additionally, the exhibition examines an inter-generational project, which addresses the impact of ‘Brady’ on both former Club members and the current users of BACC, bringing the two communities together to exchange stories and discover common ground.

In November 2024 the Institute for Fiscal Studies reported that young people whose local youth club had closed performed 4% less well at school and were 14% more likely to become involved in crime. This has recently been exacerbated by the ongoing impact of the COVID pandemic on mental health. Furthermore, for every £1 saved from these closures, there are societal costs of nearly £3. This cost deficit does not take into account the loss of more general benefits provided by such clubs, such as, creative thinking, community responsibility, personal confidence and psychological well-being. In London alone, approximately 30% of youth clubs closed between 2010 and 2019 due to cuts in funding.

"The Brady Clubs: A Legacy for the Future" not only reflects on the past but also ignites a conversation about the present and future. The Brady Club’s legacy stands as testament to the profound impact such initiatives can have and serves as an appeal to government, policymakers, community leaders, and the public to recognise the indispensable role of youth services in shaping positive life trajectories.

This timely exhibition is an invitation to reflect on the lessons of the past and present, and raise our voices to advocate for a future where every young person has access to the resources they need to thrive.

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