It was a full house at Green Towers as Enfield Caribbean Association celebrated its Windrush Thanksgiving Day with members, guests and patrons. The celebration was full of smiles, laughter and animated discussions as those present enjoyed a delicious two course Caribbean meal and enjoyed performances.

ECA chair, Oveta McInnis welcomed the guests to our celebration of the 77th Anniversary of Windrush Day. She said, ” We honour the migrants who came mainly from the Caribbean arrived at Tilbury Docks in Essex in 1948. It is important to remember them and honour them. We have contributed to the building of the UK for over 400 years.”

Adeyinka Bello from Diabetes UK provided an initial a call for action, encouraging guests to understand their individual risk of diabetes. He encouraged guests to get tested regularly for diabetes.

The performances included a short Windrush film, poetry, and singing. Lady Esi kicked off the performances with some sparkling poetry about life and relationships. Shirley Yoxall got the audience in laughter with one of her poems about parents advising young people to talk properly – less Jamaican. The result, growing up bi-lingual – English and Jamaican English!

Spoken word artist and Poet Herbie Dunnan brought the afternoon back to Windrush generation, with a poetry and words reminding the audience that the Windrush generation were invited to the UK, but this didn’t stop the scandal to emerge decades later.

ECA Patron, Professor Patrick Vernon OBE provided the keynote address where he honoured Windrush pioneers who passed away in the last 12 months. He led a minute’s silence to these forerunners and highlighted their contributions to British society. Notable figures included Clover Salmon, Alfred Gardner, Big John Richards, Sir Geoff Palmer, Lord Herman Ousley, Paul Stevenson, Jolene Bean, Enid Jackson, Eddie Grisel, Claudette Williams, Norman Mitchell, Neil Flanagan, and Nelly Louise Brown.

Vernon also addressed the ongoing Home Office Windrush scandal, criticising the Home Office’s compensation scheme, which has offered £100 million but rejected many cases due to lack of evidence and called for a public inquiry into the scandal. Vernon urged everyone to contact their local MPs to urge them to support a public inquiry.

Windrush scandal victims want to have a public inquiry. There is a public inquiry around the Post Office scandal and the Affected Bloods scheme. So why is it that black people are given a second-class service when it comes to our treatment? Second class service in terms of the compensation scheme, second class service in terms of respect and recognition? So, we are now campaigning for a public inquiry.

The Windrush Thanksgiving celebration ended with beautiful singing from Ava Pinnock-Hartley who serenaded the audience with just pure delight. Guests joined in and enjoyed dancing to her music.

Black Film Club – Barrel Children

ECA’s commemoration of the Windrush generation continues on Thursday at the Dugdale Arts Centre, with the special screening of the film Barrel Children: The Families Windrush Left Behind on Thursday 26 June at 7pm.

Tickets only £6.

The film is the story of the children of Windrush generation who were left behind in the Caribbean, as their parents emigrated to Britain. As a result, these children only knew of their parents through the ‘barrel’ packages sent back home to the Caribbean.

The screening is followed by a Q&A with local historian Avril Nanton; and Pauline Isles and Paul Riddell, contributors to ECA’s Windrush Voices book.