Windrush and Jamaican independence anniversary event to be held in Doncaster

Doncaster Little Theatre will stage the event on Saturday from 1pm to 4.30pm.

The Jamaican Independence Day celebration will provide an opportunity for descendants of Jamaica and their friends to come together and share stories as part of an event which will commemorate the 60th anniversary of the country’s independence from Britain.

The Doncaster African Caribbean Support Group is collaborating with Cast Theatre to mark the day.

Stories from the Windrush generation will be shared by their descendants, accompanied by songs from Sherlock Art.

The guest speaker will be Doncaster’s own Professor Carol Tulloch who believes that she was the first black girl to attend the former Doncaster Grammar School for Girls.

Tim Brown, Coordinator of the Doncaster African Caribbean Support Group, said: “The fact that this type of event is happening is testimony to a desire to give thanks and appreciation to the Windrush Generation whose legacy is that they have made life easy for so many descendants who have gone on to achieve so many wonderful things.

"Professor Carol Tulloch is a descendent from a hardworking Jamaican family and is returning to Doncaster to tell her story of her lived experience. The aim is to inspire people from similar backgrounds to be the best that they can be.”

“It’s brilliant to be hosting this event at the Doncaster Little Theatre to commemorate the contributions of the Windrush generation and their descendants to British society.

“As we emerge from the pandemic, and are going through a cost of living crisis we have a unique opportunity to consider what positive actions are required for the new City of Doncaster to become intentionally “anti-racist and aspirational”? The event is the start of having this type of initial conversation."

Windrush refers to the 1948 voyage of the Empire Windrush ship which brought one of the first large groups of postwar West Indian immigrants to the United Kingdom, carrying 1,027 passengers and two stowaways on a voyage from Jamaica to London.

Guest speakers will include, Audley Forrester MBE, Nathan Brown, Ethan Rose and Leanna Smith.

The event is free to those who can not make a voluntary contribution.