Wednesday 22 May 2013
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Press and web coverage

For a real free school look to postwar Peckham.

Guardian Comment, Tuesday 30th October 2011. Emily Charkin discusses the school that was set up within the Pioneer Health Centre and considers its relevance to ongoing discussions in the UK about free schools. Read the article here. 

The Peckham Experiment at the Incredible Edible Todmorden Conference.

In October 2010, Incredible Edible Todmorden held a conference in Peckham to bring together all those interested in local food growing and community action. Lisa Curtice, PHF Trustee, gave a short presentation about the Peckham Experiment. Read the conference report on the Incredible Edible Todmorden website here.  

Memo to all parties: social enterprise remains your ally.

Respublica. 8th May 2010. Gina Lovett reports on the outcomes of a PHF-hosted seminar in Peckham, where attendees widely agreed that the time is right to look again at the principles of the Peckham Experiment. Available on the Respublica website. 

Ministers seeking inspiration should talk to Pam about prewar Peckham.

Guardian Comment, 31 October 2007.

In this article, Jonathan Freedland suggests that Ministers should not only look abroad for ideas about helping neighbourhood organisations, they ‘might also do well to look behind to one aspect of Britain's progressive past.’ He is, of course, referring to the Peckham Experiment. Read the full article on the Guardian website here.

 

Latest News

An essay by former Mary Langman prizewinner and PHF trustee, Emily Charkin, about the free school at the Pioneer Health Centre has just been published by the Soil Association in 'Mother Earth' available online at: www.soilassociation.org

About us

The Pioneer Health Centre closed in 1950 but the Pioneer Health Foundation continues to promote the legacy and the ideas of the Centre.  

Despite the many changes to society and medicine since the Pioneer Health Centre first opened its doors, we believe that the principles identified by the Doctors as contributing to health are of continuing relevance to society.

History

The Peckham Experiment was a unique study into the nature of health, led by Dr. George Scott Williamson and Dr. Innes Pearse. The Doctors decided to observe families in a community setting, to monitor the factors that contributed to human health. In the purpose-built Pioneer Health Centre, they conducted annual medical checks and watched families interacting in social activities.

Recognising the importance of sound nutrition, the Doctors also rented a farm to provide the Centre’s kitchen with fresh organic food. The research began in Peckham, south London, in 1926 and ended with the Centre’s closure in 1950.  

The findings originating from the research conducted at the Pioneer Health Centre, commonly refered to as ‘the Peckham Experiment’, have influenced authorities across the world including the World Health Organisation (WHO).

Please click on the links in the menu above to learn about the history of the Peckham Experiment.

Relevance today

The Pioneer Health Foundation believes there is continuing interest and importance in the work of Drs Scott Williamson and Pearse and the pioneering Peckham Experiment. 

Though the Doctors did not leave a blueprint for their study (this would have been dictatorial), their writing and findings share useful lessons that remain relevant today.

Please click on the links in the menu above to learn more about the relevance of the Peckham Experiment today.

Resources

The Pioneer Health Foundation maintains a range of resources relating to the Pioneer Health Centre, from films and photographs through to published books and articles.  

Please click on the links in the menu above to learn more about the resources available. If you can't find what you want, please do contact us.