In 1982 the Attlee Foundation pioneered an adventure playground in Tower Hamlets for children of all abilities, The vision, realised in 2006, was for a purpose-built community-led youth and community centre directly serving young families, especially younger children, girls and women and young people to establish long term relationships with them and to provide access to specialised services from trusted sources.

The Attlee Centre has now evolved into a separate community-based organisation, sharing a common commitment to Clement Attlee’s philosophy and ethos, whilst independent of the Attlee Foundation.
The Attlee Foundation (attleefoundation.org) was established with support from across the political spectrum in 1967 to commemorate the life and work of former Prime Minister Clement Attlee whose Government launched the National Health Service. Attlee’s early work in Stepney was as a volunteer at a boy’s club of which he subsequently became manager. As Mayor, he launched major public health initiatives in housing. Access to opportunities is at the core of the Foundation’s activities and is reflected in its past local and international work, social policy research on issues affecting disadvantaged communities and direct project work with young people.