Windrush 75 Celebration
On 23nd June 2023 marked the 75th anniversary of the HMT Empire Windrush arriving in Britain on 22 June 1948. On 23rd June MEaP hosted a special family and community event to celebrate the legacy of the Windrush generation; giving particular focus to their role of founding supplementary schools for the community.
This Windrush 75 celebration provided a warm forum for intergenerational learning. On entry to the event guests were serenaded with exquisite live music from Manchester’s StreelDrums Band and delicious Caribbean Food provided by Chicken Run in Hulme. Linford Sweeney (Black History Educator, Caribbean Family Roots Researcher, Cultural Engagement Adviser, & Author) led a Windrush quiz and guests were treated to poetry and an array of performances from young people of Windrush heritage from community youth groups including Nurturing Foundations, KYSO and Elevate Young Minds. Students from Yin Yan Twins dance school delivered a choreographed dancehall performance and Alcott Washington (Chair of WIOCC, the first Afro-Caribbean supplementary school in Manchester) gave a riveting keynote speech discussing the vision of supplementary schools in the community.
The night also marked the close of the term for the pupils of MEaP Twilight Academy and our newest English tutor Ruth Shuttleworth shared her experience of tutoring online for our heritage focused supplementary school, expressing her new appreciation for exploring and incorporating texts and perspectives from the diverse cultures of her cohort.
We want to thank the National Lottery Community Fund for supporting this significant event.