First centre depicting UK role in anti-apartheid struggle to open in London

Anti-apartheid demonstrators protest outside Lord's cricket ground in London during the first test between England and South Africa in 1965. Photograph: Evening Standard/Getty Images

The first centre dedicated to the history and legacy of the UK’s anti-apartheid movement is expected to open next year after a £1.2m grant from the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

The centre will be based at the former headquarters of the African National Congress in London. Between 1978 and 1994, the Georgian-era house in Penton Street, Islington, was a hub for coordinating international opposition to apartheid in South Africa. The building, currently uninhabited and in serious disrepair, will be restored and extended.