China Exchange UK

24/06/2024

Check out one of our most recent tour testimonials!

Join our next walking tour this Sunday 30 June 11:30-14:00. Book your tickets via the link in our bio!

15/05/2024

China Exchange is seeking a paid to join the team to support the 40 Stories, 40 Years project, funded by Historic England.

Intern will be paid £13.15 per hour and asked to work 16 hours per week from September to November 2024 in our office in London’s Chinatown.

To apply, please send us your CV and a cover letter to [email protected] by 23:59 on 9 June 2024. We will hold interviews in the week of 17 June.

Learn more about the details of this opportunity via the link in our bio.

15/05/2024

The latest China Exchange project, 40 Years, 40 Stories: The Everyday Heritage of People Working in London’s Chinatown (1985-2025), begins in May 2024.

Centring the principle of co-creation, we will work closely with members of Chinatown’s workforce and volunteers with a heritage connection to Chinatown to develop this work and decide on the details of the final ways in which the stories are shared.

We will showcase these co-created outcomes during the 2025, the start of the anniversary year for . Visit the link in our bio for more details!

We will share information over summer... watch this space!

22/04/2024

Discover the charm of our Chinatown Stories walking tours with satisfied visitors. Take a look at one of our latest tour reviews!

Tickets for this Sunday 28 April's Chinatown Stories walking tour are still available! Follow the link (What's On) in our bio to book!

16/04/2024

Have you been to our monthly Chinatown Stories walking tours? Every month, our fantastic fully trained History Champion volunteers lead 2.5-hour tours of London’s Chinatown.

The tours provide an in-depth look at the history of our neighbourhood, bringing to the surface stories of the area’s hidden history. They share incredible stories of entrepreneurship, migration, family histories and transformations.

The ticket price includes a delicious family-style Chinese lunch served at a local restaurant, giving you time to relax and get to know our guides.

Book this month's tour via the link below.

Discover the fascinating stories and characters behind this iconic district and gain a whole new perspective on London’s Chinatown! Our award-winning trained volunteer History Champions can’t wait to take you on a journey through this area’s complex, nuanced and fascinating evolution.

08/04/2024

We are seeking a skilled webmaster who is confident using WordPress and Elementor to manage and maintain the China Exchange website on a freelance basis (£20ph, 2-3 hrs per month).

The Webmaster will be responsible for ensuring the website works smoothly across all devices and help our small team resolve issues in a timely manner. Find out more details via the link below.

To apply, please email [email protected] by 23:59 on Tuesday 16 April 2024.

20/03/2024

Did we tell you that we have the best in town? We are inspired by the dedication of our Alex, Coco, Stephanie, and Jonathan, all members of our volunteer team, who are gearing up for the London Landmarks Half Marathon in April to raise money for China Exchange.

Each of the runners has been training hard and raising sponsorship money, with different motivations behind their efforts. Please support this wonderful team via the links in our bio!

19/03/2024

Tickets for this month’s Chinatown Stories walking tour are still available! Follow the link (What's On) in our bio to book!

Our tours provide you with an opportunity to find out more about Chinatown’s multi-layered history. Each experience lasts 2.5 hrs, led by one of our very own excellent History Champion tour guides.

Your ticket price also includes a family-style Chinese lunch at a local restaurant. A proportion of your ticket money is donated to two local charities that support people who rely on our neighbourhood.

24/02/2024

As part of our Spring Volunteer Action Day, we invited to lead a Queering Chinatown Zine-making workshop for us. We enjoyed learning, sharing and reflecting on our ways of seeing Chinatown. We made zines to explore how to build a more gender/LGBTQ-inclusive Chinatown. Thank you for an informative, fun and thought-provoking workshop!

19/02/2024

It's our 9th birthday! We're celebrating with this selection of nine highlights and some cake with our volunteers at the weekend. Thank you to all who have supported us to get this far.

11/02/2024

We’re welcoming people at 32a Gerrard Street to create “The Homecoming”, a community created art work to share experiences and ideas about home.
Here’s some of the contributions so far!
Happy new year!

07/02/2024

Would you like to take part in the London Landmarks Half Marathon on 7 April? The last place in our fundraising team of runners is available - registration closes on 14 February so get in touch now. Places for the race are full so charities are the only remaining route. Run for it!

15/01/2024

Join our half-term edition of the Lunar New Year tour of London’s Chinatown on Monday 12 February 11:30am-1pm. Our award-winning trained volunteers are ready to welcome you to explore this fascinating part of London!

This is a tour-only date, and the content will be adapted for an 11+ audience - the juicy details will be delivered in an age-appropriate way and there’ll be extra special mentions for bubble tea! Book now.

10/01/2024

Lunar New Year is one of the most popular times of the year for our award-winning History Champion volunteers to lead Chinatown Stories walking tours. This year our special edition Lunar New Year tour is on Sunday 28 January 11:30am-2pm. Book ahead as this edition usually sells out and has a waiting list!

Your ticket price also includes a Chinese lunch served family-style at a local restaurant, and a proportion of your ticket money is donated to three local charities supporting this neighbourhood.

Photo credit: Jieying Shao

20/12/2023

We've made a list, checked it twice, and despatched all our online Made in Chinatown orders! Hurray for parcel tape and the Post Office. Our pop-up and online shops are now both closed until the new year so that our amazing volunteers can have a rest. Thank you to everyone who bought a Made in Chinatown item this year - every sale makes more community and heritage work in Chinatown possible (and makes our CEO Freya do a happy dance)

15/12/2023

Cherie Kwok's gorgeous design, Layers of Chinatown, depicts the multi-layers of intangible cultural , experiences, and memories from people who have a strong connection with .

It is featured on this high-quality, sustainable cotton t-shirt as a monotone illustration printed in blue, green, or pink.

Add the Layers of Chinatown t-shirt to your lists and take this chance to support Chinatown. All our sales support future projects in the neighbourhood. The t-shirts are available in our online shop (link in bio) and pop-up shop at China Exchange this Sunday from 12 noon to 6 pm.
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13/12/2023

We are so grateful to our volunteers who are staffing our Made in Chinatown pop-up shop this festive season!

If you haven't visited the shop yet, come this Sunday (17 Dec) between 12 noon and 6 pm! Our volunteers are looking forward to sharing the lovely range of with you.

📍Address: China Exchange, 32a Gerrard Street, London W1D 6JA

10/12/2023

Piece together some family time this Christmas with our fun and colourful Layers of Chinatown jigsaw puzzle designed by Cherie Kwok. Our 30-piece jigsaw is a fun way to spend while learning more about the multi-layered history of London’s Chinatown. Come to our pop-up shop today to find the best items for you.

⏰Opening hours: at weekends from Sat 25 Nov to Sun17 Dec, 12noon-6pm
📍Address: China Exchange, 32a Gerrard Street, London W1D 6JA

All items are also available in our online shop (link in bio).

09/12/2023

This high-quality cotton tea towel features hand-drawn dumplings designed by artist Dora Lam.

Dora developed “Fingers, Forms, Families” through a series of and workshops as part of our Chinatown Food Heritage Trail project. During her residency, Dora explored London Chinatown’s multi-layered history and intangible food cultural . The short poems featured in the design are inspired by the stories shared by participants during the workshops.

Ideal as a , or a treat for your , add this tea towel to your list now! Buy them in our online shop (link in bio) or at our pop-up shop at China Exchange (32a Gerrard Street) this Sunday (10 Dec) 12noon-6pm.

07/12/2023

Add a touch of elegance to any room with our stylish cushion covers designed by Pui Lee. Tag someone who would love this in their house, and buy yours now using the link in our bio to bring the heart of London Chinatown into your home.

You can also check out our lovely range of gifts at our pop-up shop this Sunday (10 Dec) at China Exchange (32a Gerrard Street) from 12noon-6pm.

05/12/2023

Looking for ideas? Visit our Etsy shop (link in bio), and we have you covered!

Every sale supports future & projects in London’s Chinatown! Share our post and help us spread the word! 😊

You can also check out these unique gifts at our pop-up shop this Sunday (10 Dec) at China Exchange (32a Gerrard Street) from 12noon-6pm.

03/12/2023

Spread some joy this holiday season with our fresh and eye-catching notelets. These distinct notelets feature the “Fingers, Forms, Families” design created by artist Dora Lam, exploring the act of making food together and honouring the hands behind the process. Find these great notelets at our Made in Chinatown pop-up shop today, and send a heartfelt message to your loved ones this Christmas.

⏰Opening hours: at weekends from Sat 25 Nov to Sun17 Dec, 12noon-6pm
📍Address: China Exchange, 32a Gerrard Street, London W1D 6JA

02/12/2023

Jot down your ideas or sip your coffee in style. Which would you choose - our vibrant hardback “Ascent” notebook or “Heart of London Chinatown” mug? Can’t decide? Come to our pop-up shop today to find the best Made in Chinatown item for you.

⏰Opening hours: at weekends from Sat 25 Nov to Sun 17 Dec, 12noon-6pm
📍Address: China Exchange, 32a Gerrard Street, London W1D 6JA

01/12/2023

Our Made in Chinatown pop-up shop will open at China Exchange this weekend (2-3 December) from 12noon-6pm. Items on sale include our limited edition t-shirts featuring artist Cherie Kwok’s “Layers of Chinatown”.

The brand new t-shirt was created through Cherie’s 2022 residency and explores the multi-layers of intangible cultural heritage, experiences, memories and meanings from community members and volunteers within London’s Chinatown. These bespoke t-shirts are anything but ordinary and will make the perfect gift for friends and family. Visit our shop this weekend!

26/11/2023

Tote-ally in love with our heavy-duty tote bag, perfect for carrying everyday essentials and shopping trips. This bag serves as a great souvenir or gift.

This bag and other unique items from the Made in Chinatown collection can be found at our pop-up shop at China Exchange (32a Gerrard Street). We are open from 12noon-6pm today. Come and visit us! All our sales support future community projects in the neighbourhood.

25/11/2023

Bring a piece of Chinatown to your kitchen with our unique Chinatown Memory Map tea towel, designed by international textile artist, Ekta Kaul. The map depicts the hidden history and meaningful icons of London’s Chinatown.

The striking design is available in teal and orange, made with high-quality cotton. This tea towel is perfect for the foodie in your life, and a great idea. Check out this lovely tea towel at our Made in Chinatown pop-up shop at China Exchange (32a Gerrard Street). We are open from 1pm-6pm today. Come and visit us!

24/11/2023

BIG NEWS! From Saturday 25 November to Sunday 17 December, we will host our very own Made in Chinatown pop-up shop at China Exchange (32a Gerrard Street, London W1D 6JA).

Our shop will be open from 12noon-6pm at weekends. Items on sale include our best-selling Chinatown Memory Map tea towels created by Ekta Kaul, limited edition t-shirts featuring Cherie Kwok’s “Layers of Chinatown” and Pui Lee’s “Heart of Chinatown” mugs.

Our shop will be staffed by volunteers, and they are looking forward to sharing our lovely range of Made in Chinatown gifts with you during the winter gifting season.

14/11/2023

🎟️Tickets for this month’s Chinatown Stories walking tour are still available! Follow the link: https://ow.ly/hG2l50PRioF

Our tours provide you with an opportunity to find out more about Chinatown’s fascinating history. Each tour lasts 2.5 hrs, led by one of our very own excellent History Champions tour guides.
Your ticket price also includes a family-style Chinese lunch at a local restaurant. A proportion of your ticket money is donated to two local charities that support people who rely on our neighbourhood.

📍Book for a private tour?
Tickets can also be booked privately for groups! We love to take school groups, community organisations and family celebrations on private tours. You can get in touch via email at [email protected] to discuss available dates. Groups of over five people also qualify for a discount!

01/11/2023

📣📣📣Last walking tour in 2023!!
Book your November’s walking tour via the link: https://ow.ly/hgCu50PRhV7

Our tour offers a unique experience to learn more about the distinctive history of London’s Chinatown. All of our guides deliver an engaging tour experience, shedding light on the unheard stories that make up Chinatown’s history.

🍽️A delicious family-style Chinese lunch is included in the ticket price, giving you a chance to get to know your tour guide and ask more questions.

📍Want to book a private tour??
We love taking groups on private Chinatown Stories walking tours - school groups, community organisations, family celebrations, and team-building events are all welcome! You can get in touch ([email protected]) to discuss dates. Groups qualify for a discount and must contain 5 or more people.

10/10/2023

📣Tickets are still available for this month’s Chinatown Stories walking tour on Sunday, 29 October! Book via the link: https://ow.ly/YF7W50PRhqB

Our History Champions volunteers provide expert tours that cover the hidden histories of London’s Chinatown. Each 2.5-hour experience includes a delicious lunch served at one of the area’s restaurants. A proportion of ticket sales also goes towards supporting the London Chinese Community Centre and the Chinese Information and Advice Centre.