“Len has worked with our community of Stockbridge Village with a warm nature and an outside the box approach. He’s a talented sketcher and easily made people feel at home whilst being interviewed and drawn. He does so much more than it says on the tin. Super talented with a quirky approach.”
“Len himself is amazingly easy to work with, a great ally and muse and a powerful community builder. I can’t wait to work with him again.”Nick Massey DL, Chief Executive, Forever Manchester, the Community Foundation for Greater Manchester On [I grew that]“Len combines a laser sharp appreciation of the formal qualities of the city’s architectural regeneration, with an intense empathy for the individuals and communities whose lives he documents and a quiet rage for the injustice and ignorance he witnesses. With his recent blogs, he has created an entirely new, highly personal way of combining images and words to provide new perspectives on a changing city.”
Emma Anderson, Director, The Atkinson, Southport
“I was introduced to Len when we were looking for someone to bring to life the experiences of young people with immigration problems. Len had impressed with his ‘Her First Year’ blog and we set him the challenge of coming up with a way to work with migrant families and young people, and bring those experiences to new audiences. He did a fantastic job, on a very tricky subject, and the blog was very successful. He is totally committed, creative, tenacious, patient, thoughtful and a top notch writer and photographer.”
Sarah Cutler, Paul Hamlyn Foundation On [Life Without Papers]“Len, I don’t care what they say, I think you’re amazing!”
“How is it for you Islington?” was a real eye opener for me. Len was so nice and he encouraged even the most timid of us to approach, converse and take photographs of the people of Islington. The display and newspaper were brilliant. I hope we will see Len again in the near future for another project.
“It is simply a tremendous commentary on the latest and most sustainable building to arrive on the Manchester skyline.”
Bob Dyson, previously Chairman, North West Region, Jones Lang LaSalle On [1 Angel Square]
“Len’s ‘Exhibition in a Day’ workshops are a Creative Tourist legend. This is because Len is not only creative and original, but also very generous with feedback and encouragement, gently persuading participants out of their comfort zones and into new skills and confidence: everything we look for in a workshop leader. My personal favourite was the flashmob exhibition – low tech, highly engaging, great fun.”
“I have worked with Len on two school projects and each time Len has been a delight to work with. He just ‘gets’ people whether young or old and his joy of life is infectious! That he is a brilliant artist is beyond doubt but it is his ability to make people feel comfortable and open up that makes him stand out for me. He can ‘love bomb’ the most reluctant, insecure students into achieving far more than they ever dared. It has been an absolute pleasure working with him.”
“We are utterly delighted with the finished book. It is witty, personal, poignant, detailed, beautifully photographed and designed but most importantly, it reflects the truth of our work.”
“Through his experience and expertise Len was able to understand our needs and to communicate his ideas and vision for the book in very simple, straightforward terms.”
“Len was the ideal person to put our book together. Not only are his photographs consistently excellent but he has a particular empathy with local residents, encouraging them to share their experiences of the regeneration process. After some editorial consultation, we pretty much left him to it and he and Axis Graphic Design have produced an accessible and yet authoritative record of New Deal’s achievements in east Manchester.”
“As a photographer and writer with an understanding of how engaging people in creative activities can change lives, he has accurately profiled both our activities and our approach to cultural regeneration. With professionalism and good humour, Len has steered us through an unfamiliar process and we now have a wonderful testament to the work of our team.”
Louise Sutton, previously Cultural Regeneration Manager, Manchester City Council On [Snapshot 2011]