Communities Minister Lord Bourne will today (8 March) visit Lambeth council to launch an official “Windrush 70” campaign to celebrate the Windrush generation.
The campaign will highlight the huge contribution the Caribbean community has made to the UK.
The campaign will include a Windrush70 logo designed by the local Champion Agency.
This launch marks the start of a series of events and celebrations including performances, exhibitions, church services and debates to take place across the year to ensure that the Windrush legacy lives on for future generations.
The Voice newspaper will produce a commemorative edition that will be distributed across the country.
Lord Bourne said:“I am delighted to launch the Windrush 70 campaign today to celebrate the history of Britain’s black communities.
“The campaign is centred around the legacy of the Windrush generation, and will recognise and celebrate the enormous contribution of the Windrush generation and their descendants. It will also keep this legacy alive for future generations, ensuring that we all recognise the diversity of Britain’s history.”
Lord Bourne said that the arrival of 492 passengers from the Caribbean on the 22 June 1948 marked a key moment in Britain’s history. The men and women who came to Britain contributed significantly to rebuilding the country following the war and their settlement had continued to enrich social, economic, political and religious life.
Lambeth council leader Lib Peck said: “Lambeth has a pivotal role in the Windrush story and is a borough proud of its diversity and openness.
She said she was delighted that young people from Brixton had created designs for the campaign and hoped that “the whole country will celebrate not just Windrush 70, but the great cultural, social and economic enrichment that the Windrush generation and subsequent migrants have brought to this country.”
