Thirty groups get Windrush Day funding

LONDON:

Ahead of Windrush Day celebrations on June 22, 30 groups have been awarded a share of the £500,000 funding pot dedicated to supporting organisations and projects that commemorate, celebrate and educate people on the contribution of the Windrush generation.

Funding will support projects to deliver an array of events across the UK on National Windrush Day that will engage with people across generations to celebrate the legacy of the Windrush generation and their descendants and the significant contributions they have made to the UK’s social, economic and cultural life.

A release from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government which manages the Windrush Day Grant Scheme, stated that funding will support organisations in delivering their projects, helping towards the Plan for Change mission of breaking down barriers to opportunity and enhancing the education of young people.

Among the many organisations being funded is theatre and arts company Sudden Productions in Birmingham that is bringing older members of the Windrush generation together with African Caribbean artists to revive songs that bring their memories of Windrush to life. In doing so, they will work together to devise a one-man show, My Songs of Windrush.

Another, production company Inspiring Audio in south east London, is working with radio station Fun Kids to create a unique three-week radio station for children that celebrates Caribbean music while educating the younger generation on the contributions of the Windrush generation and their descendants.

Gregory Watson, director at Inspiring Audio said: “Inspiring Audio is very excited to have been awarded a Windrush Day Grant to create a special radio station – ‘Fun Kids Windrush’ – which will give children a unique opportunity to learn about the arrival and contribution of the Windrush generation and its descendants, and celebrate the sound of the Caribbean, from calypso and soca to steel pan and reggae”.

RECORD NUMBER OF APPLICANTS

Between the arrival of HMT Empire Windrush in 1948 and 1971, thousands of people from the Caribbean, including Jamaica, Trinidad, St Lucia, Grenada and Barbados, arrived in the UK to assist the county in rebuilding after World War II.

They helped by filling the significant labour shortage in Britain by as a result of the loss of life during the war. Many had also contributed to the war effort and were veterans themselves, having bravely answered the call to support the British Armed Forces.

Since then, they and their descendants have become leaders and entrepreneurs, nurses and doctors, musicians and athletes – contributing to and enhancing every aspect of national life to make Britain what it is today.

This year saw a record number of applicants to the Windrush Day Grant Scheme, reflecting the enthusiasm in communities across the country to celebrate the legacy of the Windrush generation and ensure generations to come are able to learn about the significant contributions they have had to our national life.

Lord Khan, minister for faith, communities and resettlement said: “Our diversity is a great strength of our country, and the Windrush generation has been fundamental in creating the Britain we have today.

“Their contributions are vast and broad, extending into all aspects of life, and I’m grateful to all the wonderful organisations we have funded this year for their hard work to celebrate their legacy and keep the Windrush memory alive.

“We’re on a mission to break down barriers to opportunity through our Plan for Change and this funding is crucial in helping organisations continue with their incredible work and in supporting the education of our young people on such a vital part of our country’s history.”

A full list of projects supported by the Windrush Day Grant Scheme may be found at: www.gov.uk/guidance/windrush-day-grant-scheme-2025.