When Andrew Mawson arrived in Bromley-by-Bow in the east end of London,
in the 1980s, it was in a state of social, economic and material
disrepair. Living there, getting to know the residents and institutions,
he soon realized that by unlocking its untapped potential, the community
could begin to turn itself around. The result: the Bromley-by-Bow Centre
has encouraged literacy, housing, business, health, welfare and
enterprise in the area to flourish. Time and again using the same
approach, Mawson has succeeded where the government and others have
failed. His inspiring and timely book will demonstrate, through his own
experience how, by seeking creative, dynamic, entrepreneurial ways of
tackling seemingly intractable social problems, we can all make real
changes in our communities.