London, 12th March, 2026 – Delancey’s Here East, the award-winning campus on Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, today announces that NABA, Nuova Accademia di Belle Arti, Italy’s largest Academy of Fine Arts, has established itself on campus, in a combined 17,047 sq ft facility, purpose-built to create at scale.

NABA, recognised by QS World University Rankings as the best Academy of Fine Arts in Italy and among the top 100 universities globally for Art & Design, will join Here East’s thriving ecosystem of creative academic institutions, technology companies, and cultural organisations. The partnership brings together two organisations united by a shared vision: nurturing creative talent to design tomorrow’s cultural landscape through innovation and industry.

Originally the International Broadcast Centre for the 2012 Olympic Games, Here East has since become one of the most successful examples of post-Games regeneration in modern Olympic history. The 1.2 million sq ft campus is now home to over 30 organisations, including five of the UK’s leading universities, Studio Wayne McGregor, Sports Interactive, the V&A East Storehouse and The Trampery on the Gantry; a village of studios for designers and creative entrepreneurs.

From the start of the 2026/27 academic year, NABA will offer three BAs in Design, Fashion Design, Fashion Marketing Management, as well as Integrated Foundation Courses. Students will have access to state-of-the-art facilities, including design, fashion, textile, and knitwear labs, along with comprehensive student services, including career support, visa assistance, and counselling. Participants who complete the three-year courses will obtain a BA (Hons) Degree accredited by Regent’s University London.

The new facility will also champion sustainability and digital innovation, reflecting both Here East’s commitment to future-focused creative industries and NABA’s sustainability manifesto.

According to independent analysis by Oxford Economics, Here East supports over 10,000 jobs across the UK, with 5,000 of these in the surrounding East London boroughs. Tenants on the campus report faster growth in revenue, headcount, and ambition, evidence of a place designed to help organisations and individuals scale at pace.

Gavin Poole, CEO of Here East, said: “London has long been a global point of reference for fashion design, artistic and creative education, and East London, as a centre for design, culture and innovation, is a key driver of the sector’s growth. The arrival of NABA is further validation of this and of the Here East model. By delivering highly specialised infrastructure that meets the requirements of a global design academy of NABA’s stature, we are creating a unique environment that provides the talent and innovation required for the next generation of global creative businesses.”

Diego Mattiolo, School Director and Head of Education of the new NABA Campus in London said:  “Here East represents everything we look for in a creative community: dynamism, collaboration, and a shared commitment to nurturing the next generation of creative talent. The campus’s unique blend of universities and cultural institutions creates an environment where our students won’t just learn, they’ll actively contribute to shaping the future of our creative industries.”

Jamie Ritblat, Executive Chairman and Founder of Delancey said: “The arrival of NABA further demonstrates Delancey’s strategic focus on building high-value spaces for creative, cultural and tech institutions to grow. This reinforces Here East’s role as a primary driver of London’s creative economy and a blueprint for successful, large-scale urban regeneration.”

Today (6 March 2026), Historic England unveils a National Blue Plaque to the founder of the learning disability charity Mencap, Judy Fryd, at her former home at 8 Westfield Avenue, Harpenden. It was here, at her dining room table, that Fryd founded Mencap, the charity dedicated to supporting people with a learning disability to live their lives to the full.

The plaque will be unveiled by Judy Fryd’s family, including her daughters, granddaughter, and great granddaughter; Linda, Pat, Elly, and Olivia.

The inscription on the plaque reads:

Judy Fryd
1909 – 2000
Campaigner for
children and adults with
learning disabilities
lived and worked
here

Judy Fryd (1909–2000)
Caroline Joyce ‘Judy’ Fryd, was born in North London in 1909. After leaving school, she worked as a secretary and joined a union, speaking on a soapbox at Speakers’ Corner in Hyde Park about secretarial work and women in the labour force. Her early activism led her to study economics and political science at Ruskin Hall (now Ruskin College) in Oxford, and it was there that she met fellow student John Fryd. They married in 1936 and later settled in Harpenden, Hertfordshire, where they raised four children.
When her eldest daughter, Felicity, showed signs of developmental delay, Fryd was confronted by a system that offered little hope. In the early 1940s no mainstream school would accept Felicity.
Undeterred, she taught Felicity at home, proving that her daughter could learn to read, write and count. Fryd then began to connect with other parents through the letters pages of The Nursery World magazine, writing under the pseudonym ‘Cinderella’. In November 1946 she formed the association that would later become Mencap, which published its first newsletter in April 1947.

Development of Mencap
What began as a loosely knit network run by correspondence from Fryd’s home at 8 Westfield Avenue grew rapidly into a national movement. By 1950, the Association had established a formal National Council, with Fryd appointed as one of two honorary secretaries.
In the 1950s, the organisation gave evidence to the Royal Commission on the Law Relating to Mental Illness and Mental Deficiency and put forward suggestions to the Mental Health Bill. These were steps towards the passing of the Education Act 1970, which gave all children a legal entitlement to an education. The charity received royal patronage in 1981 and in 2002, two years after Fryd’s death, it officially adopted the name Royal Mencap Society. Today, Mencap remains one of Britain’s leading charities for people with a learning disability.
Felicity died from pneumonia in 1993, and Fryd herself died in a nursing home in 2000 at the age of ninety. She was appointed MBE in 1967 and CBE in 1996, and in 2009 was honoured with a commemorative Royal Mail postage stamp. A journalist in The Times once wrote of her: ‘there is a great big gulf between feeling and doing, but someone who has bridged the two most successfully is undoubtedly Judy Fryd.’

Uncovering hidden heroines
The unveiling of this national blue plaque to Judy Fryd coincides with Historic England’s partnership with Ancestry, the global leader in family history. Together with Historic England, Ancestry is encouraging people to uncover
hidden heroines listed in the 1921 Census of England and Wales.
Featuring in the 1921 census, Judy Fryd’s story is an example of the fantastic contributions of women to society, that can be uncovered and celebrated today. In honour of International Women’s Day, Ancestry is opening up over 400 million records from March 8th-18th, allowing people to explore for free, and discover stories of trailblazing women within their own family trees.
The eight-week public nomination period for the National Blue Plaque Scheme is open in May 2026. The public is invited to submit their own nominations for people they would most like to see recognised through a Historic England national blue plaque at www.historicengland.org.uk

Claudia Kenyatta CBE and Emma Squire CBE, Co-CEOs of Historic England, said: “Judy Fryd created something which has transformed the lives of many, including her daughter’s. She felt so strongly that her daughter deserved better, that she helped to change our country’s laws and set up an organisation which has given a voice to people with a learning disability for over 80 years. This plaque celebrates the impact Fryd has had on society and the lives she has improved through her dedication and determination.”

Heritage Minister Baroness Twycross said: “Judy Fryd started her networking and campaigning from home, which is a powerful reminder that ambition and brilliance is driven by determination wherever it is found. Mencap does vital work for many communities up and down the country. It’s fantastic to see this blue plaque serving as a permanent tribute to the founding of this charity on a residential avenue in Harpenden. “I hope that everyone in Harpenden can take great pride in this Blue Plaque, reflecting on Judy Fryd’s achievements at the heart of their community.”

Elly Downes, Judy Fryd’s Granddaughter said: “Judy Fryd was and always will be, first and foremost, my Grandma. To her children, Felicity, Pat, Peter and Linda, she was a devoted mother, and to John Fryd, a loving supportive wife.
“She’s always been one of the most important people in my life and I will always love her to infinity and beyond! We have always had to share her with Mencap and thousands of people with learning disabilities and their families, her other family and lifelong passion, and are honoured to have done so.
“She led an ordinary life in an ordinary semi-detached house in Harpenden, and was very much respected by her neighbours, friends, and the community. But, 80 years ago in 1946, she did something extraordinary from her dining room table – she spent 60 years working tirelessly for people with a learning disability to be given rights, recognition, and fairness in a world where differences were never fully embraced.
“This work continues in her name and my family and I are so proud of how far things have come and will continue to support the ongoing work of Mencap in our ever changing world.
“We could not be more delighted that she and her home have been honoured with a Historic England national blue plaque. This is not any old house, but a very special place indeed, full of love and warmth, and history, which we will continue to cherish.”

Jon Sparks, Chief Executive, Mencap said: “I’m delighted that Historic England has honoured Mencap’s founder, Judy Fryd, with a blue plaque at the home where Mencap began.
“As Mencap marks its 80th anniversary this year, this is a fitting tribute to an incredible person who fundamentally helped change policy, provision and public attitudes – ensuring that generations of people with a learning disability have greater opportunities.
“Judy was a trailblazer whose campaigning transformed life for people with a learning disability and her legacy reminds us not only how far we’ve come, but how many barriers to equality, healthcare and employment still sadly remain. Mencap will continue this pioneering work to ensure people with a learning disability are not left behind as services and systems change.
“It is fantastic that Judy’s family continues to support Mencap and together we will not let Judy’s memory or mission fade” As the charity reaches its 80th anniversary, it continues the bold work championed
by Judy Fryd, as both a leading care provider and campaigning charity, Mencap
continues to campaign for the UK’s 1.5 million people with a learning disability to live
in their own communities, close to their families.

Heritage Schools resource
Historic England’s Heritage Schools team has produced an education resource about Judy Fryd, which will be available for teachers to download. The resource supports Key Stage 2 teachers and students to explore Fryd’s life and work both locally and nationally, using a range of historical sources. By using local stories and topics, the resource aims to make history feel more real, relevant, and engaging for students. Link (live from 6 March).

Funding Acknowledgement
We give special thanks to Ancestry, Delancey Real Estate and The Earls Court Development Company, and The Britford Bridge Trust for their generous support of Historic England’s National Blue Plaque Scheme.

With a 25+ year career in real estate investment, Lesley brings extensive experience across multiple geographies and sectors, including residential, office, retail, hotels, education, debt, distressed assets, and lifetime mortgage products.  

Since leaving Delancey, Lesley served as Chief Investment Officer at workspace investor-developer Seaforth Land before becoming Chief Operating Officer at Telford Homes, where she led operations and strategy during a period of intensive restructuring.  A strong advocate for innovation, other roles held by Lesley have included Head of Commercial Strategy at GoSpace AI, a scale-up pioneering ‘space-allocation-as-a-service’.

In her new role, Lesley will lead Delancey’s capital markets strategy in credit and debt, overseeing both lending and borrowing activities, working alongside the existing highly experienced team. As well as managing existing relationships, she will support the development and execution of new investment mandates and platforms.

Lesley’s appointment comes at a pivotal time for Delancey, following its strategic partnership with Aware Super, its lending partnership with Cynergy Bank and, most recently, the launch of a new bridging finance platform, AlbionArc Capital.

Lesley Davison, Managing Director of Capital Markets at Delancey, said: “I am thrilled to return to Delancey as Managing Director of Capital Markets and look forward to leveraging my learnings from the past six years to help build on new and exciting future mandates.

“In a market where there is an increased focus on segregated mandates, I believe Delancey’s deep UK market knowledge and extensive experience across all major sectors gives the agility to react to macroeconomic or geopolitical changes while providing investors with highly bespoke access to deals and relationships, and therefore the highest investment return potential.”

Stafford Lancaster, Delancey CEO, said: “Lesley rejoins Delancey at a pivotal time, with an expanding credit platform, major strategic partnerships and further new strategies planned. Her decision to rejoin us after her previous 14-year tenure I believe reflects the strong culture we have built at Delancey over our three decades and has been a critical ingredient to our growth and success. The Delancey team are excited to work with Lesley on the opportunities ahead.”

London, February 2026 – Delancey, a UK-focused property and real estate infrastructure asset and investment manager, has launched a new specialist real estate credit strategy.

The strategy, known as AlbionArc Capital, will be sector-agnostic, targeting transitional and bridge situations, providing short-to-medium term whole loans of £10m and above, with terms between 12 – 36 months. Development assets are included with the strategy’s scope.

AlbionArc Capital is established as a long term, scalable strategy designed to recycle capital efficiently and deploy substantial volumes across UK real estate credit opportunities. As with Delancey’s existing debt strategies, this transitional real estate finance strategy will lend across sectors, with a strong emphasis on high quality sponsors and liquid assets. The strategy is well-capitalised and benefits from an already identified pipeline of opportunities, with potential loans being considered across the open-market-sale, office, and senior living sectors.

Delancey, which was founded by Jamie Ritblat in 1995 and manages over £6bn in assets across debt and equity strategies, has a strong track-record in whole and mezzanine lending across different asset classes. Noteworthy transactions include participating in the £235 million refinancing of 280 Bishopsgate a c.275,000 sq. ft. Grade A office building in the City of London, and the £135 million refinancing of the Notting Hill Gate Estate, a rare, near-fully-let c.185,000 sq. ft. freehold estate.

In Summer 2025, Delancey established a strategic lending partnership with Cynergy Bank, a UK business bank. Formed as a non-exclusive, multi-year programmatic joint venture, the partnership is originating and executing senior and whole loans ranging from £10 to £80m.

Adnan Ozair, Managing Director – Fund Strategies at Delancey, said: “Our new UK real estate credit strategy, backed by sophisticated investors with extensive experience in, and continuing appetite for, the UK market, is designed as an attractive option for borrowers seeking transitional or bridge financing. AlbionArc Capital will offer flexible, interest-only debt that allows clients to move quickly on acquisitions, refinancing, or transitional business plans. We will work collaboratively with our borrowers to meet their investment and development timelines.

“Leveraging the wider Delancey platform’s deep real estate underwriting expertise, the strategy delivers efficient, bespoke financing solutions by pairing agile capital with a proven ability to assess complex situations and deploy capital with speed and certainty”.

Martin Kom, Head of Credit Investment at Delancey, added: “A convergence of structural forces, from changing work patterns and consumer expectations to rising sustainability requirements, are driving a near-constant need for assets to be repurposed, which is heightening demand for transitional finance. Regulatory restraints are also encouraging traditional banks to move risk off their balance sheet, creating an opening for specialist alternative lenders like Delancey to provide shorter duration products to investors in the UK real estate market.

“While the nature of AlbionArc Capital’s loans will be shorter-term; we will be focused on building long-term relationships with quality developers and investors with whom we want to do repeat business.”