Marking the anniversary of the arrival of the Empire Windrush ship in Tilbury Docks in Essex, in 1948, today, June 22nd, celebrates the contribution of the ‘Windrush Generation’ – the moniker used for the ship which brought the first group of people from countries in the Caribbean to live and work in the rebuilding of the UK, following the Second World War.

Introduced in 2018 - the 70th anniversary of the Windrush migration - today is the fourth national Windrush Day. It was brought in following a campaign by Patrick Vernon, an activist and a former Labour councillor in the London Borough of Hackney, who called for a celebration of the contribution of people from the Windrush Generation and migrant communities to UK society.

The day that the Empire Windrush discharged its passengers at Tilbury was not the first-time black people arrived to live in Britain.  Black people were here before 1948. The Empire Windrush ship is the first to be given such publicity and is more widely known because it was the first visible mass migration of black people to Britain; this noteworthy occurrence changed Britain forever.

The new arrivals were met with unease by some. It prompted complaints from some Members of Parliament. One MP remarked the new immigrants would be on the first boat home once the British winter sets in. The Empire Windrush ship was followed by other ships such as the SS Auriga, the SS Orbita, the SS Reina del Pacifico, the SS Castle Verde and the SS Georgic.

One of the Windrush projects is the Back to Eden Community Allotment Project which is based at the Heath Town Allotments, situated on the New Park Village estate in Wolverhampton.

The project initiated by Churches 4 Positive Change will focus on using horticulture and gardening activities, encouraging all age participation to grow fruit and vegetable crops, adopting healthier lifestyles, improving physical, mental and emotional wellbeing, whilst providing community social interaction for seniors and others to share Windrush stories in a relaxed natural environment.   To get involved in the project email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or visit them at 2343ec78a04c6ea9d80806345d31fd78-gdprlock/C4PCWolverhampton.

Birmingham Museum Trust West Midlands is commemorating the Windrush Generation through 4 short films and interviews, including a schools learning resource supported by the digitisation of The Birmingham Black Oral History Project, and an online lecture as part of the Museums on Demand programme, whilst the Equality and Inclusion Partnership (Equip) West Midlands, is set to have a series of workshops to gather creative materials that celebrate, share & illustrate the journey of the Windrush generation to the UK, culminating in an exhibition and event.

Citizens for Change West Midlands, a community allotment project to enable the Windrush Generation to pass on knowledge and skills about plants, cultivation and cooking, are marking the Day with their own celebratory events whilst wider afield organisations throughout the UK, including the Leicester Caribbean Cricket Club East Midlands, who will be documenting stories from the local community there who established cricket activities and developed resources for local schools and youth clubs from those stories. Open Doors Forum East Midlands is capturing Windrush stories via a podcast and videos/short films to produce a ‘mixtape’ alongside music and photographs for publication online, with a magazine, school resource packs and community outreach events.

Telford African & Afro-Caribbean Resource Centre is producing specially designed thank you cards to Windrush elders, a Windrush Day celebration, a Windrush themed art competition and school workshops documenting Windrush oral histories whilst the Vine Community Centre East Midlands will be documenting Windrush stories through film & photography, a church service on Windrush Day, costume workshops for Nottingham Carnival and other creative workshops with a legacy day in October.

Leeds City College Yorkshire and Humber, ESOL and Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) learners interacting with the Leeds Caribbean community through creative workshops, a letter-writing campaign and creation of life storybooks, who will be presented to the Windrush Generation at a celebratory event and shared digitally as an educational resource. Hull Council Yorkshire and Humber are partnering with Museumand, The National Caribbean Heritage Museum to print the online book ‘70 Objeks and Tings’ for distribution to schools, libraries and community venues; producing a new book on Caribbean culture in Hull with an online version and an interactive trail, and a Caribbean cultural exhibition to tour community venues.

At Ipswich Borough Council East of England, an Ipswich Community Radio programme and a town centre event will include interviews with key Windrush Generation leaders, which will become archived for use beyond the event.

Leading a host of events in the capital, the National Maritime Museum London, presents the Windrush Generation’s histories in video and music to complement digitised photographic collection; creation of reminiscence packs for Windrush people experiencing dementia; school workshops and a webinar to share learning.

The 492 Korna Klub London are presenting a virtual project of 4 online events, accessed either 1:1 or in groups, at which 30 Windrush volunteers will appear as an interactive ‘human library.’ The Blackfriars Settlement presents a creation of a digital archive & soundscape exploring the experiences of and contributions by immigrants from the smaller Caribbean islands, and then touring local schools with the product, Evewright Arts Foundation South East, has a production of monographs as a legacy resource to preserve Tilbury Bridge Walkway of Memories, an art & sound installation to commemorate the Windrush Generation, whilst the Bernie Grant Arts Centre presents their 3rd Windrush Festival with 25 creative events championing a wide range of Caribbean diaspora artists, including an ‘An Evening With Lovers Rock.’

Harmony Youth Project North West has a 3-month creative exhibition focussing on Windrush with smaller creative projects leading to a final event with a Caribbean church choir, a performance at residential homes by school pupils, live Caribbean music, a seminar on the history of Windrush, and a disco for young people.

The UK Government has backed the day with the Windrush Day Grant Scheme, with grants for projects commemorating the unique day in history. Highlight all of the events and activities that will be happening across the UK to celebrate and educate the day, the events have been largely funded by the government’s Windrush Grant Scheme to get wider recognition and understanding not just from the Caribbean community but all communities in the UK about the Windrush Generation and their contribution to our country.

In 2018 Kingsway Project commissioned the Royal Mail Windrush 70 Stamps. The group continues to produce informative booklets, calendars and short films to inform people about Windrush. For information visit windrush70.com.