Celebrating the vast contributions of Manchester's Windrush generation 75 years on

manchestereveningnews.co.uk:

The vast contributions of Manchester’s Windrush generation has been celebrated during a jubilant event. Today marks 75 years since HMT Empire Windrush arrived in the UK carrying Caribbean-born UK residents who had been encouraged to move to the UK.

Those who arrived in the post-war years made huge contributions to the country through the NHS, music, sports and politics. Over the weekend, scores of people turned out to honour and celebrate the Windrush community with music, poetry and dance.

Leonie Brown is part of the Windrush Defenders advocacy group - which organises the Windrush One Love Fest at Moss Side’s Millennium Centre. “Concentrating on the words ‘commemorate, celebrate and educate’ we wanted to focus on the huge contribution of this generation,” she says. “It was a beautiful day. “There is a rich history of people from this generation who have contributed to Manchester with music, sports, politics and the NHS, food and culture.” Leonie points to people like former Trafford councillor and mayor Whit Stennett, who received an MBE in 1998 for his services to the Afro-Caribbean community as well as his youth and community work. “With the 75th anniversary we wanted to really celebrate because there is so much we can celebrate,” she says.

A replica HMT Windrush was the centrepiece of the day with visitors able to take pictures in front of it with the flags of the Caribbean islands.