Over the last year, the Equality and Inclusion Partnership (EQuIP) has worked closely with Black and Caribbean communities across Warwickshire to explore the influences of their culture in society over the decades and the enormous contributions members have made to the county. We collected stories, photos, materials and filmed their recollections and memories in a video that is available on EQuIP’s YouTube platform. The video is being showcased publicly in celebration of Windrush Day on 22nd June 2022.
Having worked with the Windrush Generation and their families across Warwickshire, the film was created to document the stories and experiences of this time and forms a lasting legacy and resource for training and education needs in the future.
Junaid Hussain, Chief Executive of EQuIP, comments: ‘We are delighted to have worked and continue to work on the Windrush in Warwickshire Project with Caribbean communities and key partners, and highlight stories from the Windrush Generation, as well as the second and third generations. The support and grant from the Ministry of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities has made this project possible. Our heartfelt thanks go to all the participants and key community members who made this all possible.’
Marcia Watson, Chair of the African and Caribbean Community Association (ACCA) based in Leamington Spa added: “I think that the focus on Windrush via the project has raised awareness in many areas. First-hand accounts and reflection of the experiences of family and friends have made it very real. It is now important that we use this information to educate present and future generations. It needs to be in the public domain all year round not just black history month. The need to keep life experiences of those who arrived via Windrush and other methods into Britain will help to provide a more accurate understanding migration into Britain.”
Sherril Donaldson, Managing Director of NuGen Care explained: “The Windrush in Warwickshire project was a great way to extend our connections with the community in Warwickshire and capture their stories and memories of coming to this country. Lots of laughs and difficult times are captured on this video and Kareem and Luke have done a fantastic job of crafting an excellent video from many hours of footage. This is the start of a journey to explore our shared history and we are looking forward to doing more work with EQuIP.”
Sharon Forman, Archivist at Warwickshire County Records Office, adds: "Warwickshire County Record Office was honoured to be part of the Windrush in Warwickshire project. It is so important that we record and remember the diverse histories of all our communities, and we hope that this project helps us to understand much more about their experiences."
