Bell Ribeiro-Addy MP

Member of Parliament for Streatham (and parts of Balham, Clapham Common, Tulse Hill and Brixton Hill)
Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for Clapham & Brixton Hill

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Windrush Day 2023: Celebrating Windrush 75

Jun 23, 2023 | Brixton Hill, Constituency Work, News

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It was an honour to be involved in celebrations across the borough this week to mark Windrush Day and celebrate 75 years of the Windrush Generation’s contributions to our area and the whole country. It’s been great to see so many proudly celebrating the Windrush history and culture that has made Lambeth the area we love to live in today.

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Bell stands holding a sign that says 'Solidarity with the Windrush Generation: create a "hostile environment" for racism.'
Bell with lawyer Jacqui McKenzie at the Black Cultural Archives.

On Tuesday afternoon, I joined Florence Eshalomi MP and Helen Hayes MP for a Windrush 75 parliamentary reception to celebrate the Windrush Generation’s shaping impact on our area and reiterate our call for justice for survivors of the scandal and their descendants.

Bell shares a laugh with a woman as other event attendees mingle in the background.

On Wednesday morning, I joined CARICOM to lay a wreath at the African and Caribbean War Memorial to remember all the servicemen from across the Commonwealth who fought and gave their lives during both World Wars. We must never forget them.

Helen Hayes MP, Florence Eshalomi MP, Bell Ribeiro-Addy MP laying wreaths in Windrush Square.
Helen Hayes MP, Florence Eshalomi MP, Bell Ribeiro-Addy MP, Cllr Sonia Winifred, Mayor Sarbaz Barznji stand in front of the African & Caribbean War Memorial. The MPs hold wreaths and flowers to lay.

It was lovely to start Windrush Day at Corpus Christi Catholic Primary School, where pupils enjoyed an assembly about the first Windrush arrivals in Britain and greeted us with a display of steel pan drumming celebrating the Windrush generation’s musical legacy.

Bell and Florence Eshalomi MP sitting at a chequered tablecloth.
Bell speaks to an audience with tin pan drums arrayed behind her.
 
Then it was onto Brixton Library for a special Windrush Day event organised by Stockwell Good Neighbours and Tony’s Happy Drums. Shout out to these two local charities, who do amazing work bringing Windrush elders together around the arts for health and wellbeing.
 
 
Bell and Helen Hayes MP stand watching the session.
Windrush elders drumming in front of a mocked up Empire Windrush frontage with Caribbean flags attached.

This year’s Windrush Procession saw people marching from Herne Hill to Windrush Square to pay homage to our borough’s Windrush legacy complete with a replica of the original ship where the story began.

Bell with Cllrs Jacqui Dyer, Donatus Anyanwu, and a group of people wearing vintage 1940s and 1950s apparel.
Bell stands by a banner with local Keep our NHS Public activists acknowledging the Windrush Generation's contribution to building our NHS.
Local school pupils sit wearing headdresses with Caribbean themes and colours.
Bell with three women wearing impressive carnival style costumes.

There was an amazing atmosphere in Windrush Square yesterday evening as hundreds of people came together to celebrate and enjoy some stunning performances from musicians and dancers.

A large crowd gathers around trumpet players in Windrush Square in front of the African and Caribbean War Memorial, overlooked by the clocktower of Lambeth Town Hall.
Bell with local community activist and organiser Ros Griffiths.
Bell stands in front of a mocked up HMT Empire Windrush picture.
Dancers watched by a big crowd in Windrush Square.

I was lucky to get a preview of the Nubian Jak‘s most recent project, the Windrush Diamond Jubilee Memorial Bench, made from the original gangway that those first Windrush pioneers stepped out onto at Tilbury docks 75 years ago this week.

Bell stands in front of the Windrush Diamond Jubilee Memorial Bench.

Also caught the brilliant Barrel Children exhibition curated by Nadine White and Jasmin Pierre. Catch this exhibition until 10th Sept to find out more about the important and overlooked stories of Windrush children who were left behind or had their lives uprooted.

Bell and Helen Hayes MP stand in front of the Barrel Children exhibition.

And it was lovely to round off the day at Lambeth Town Hall for the Council’s official Windrush 75 reception with some legends from the local Windrush community. Thank you to everyone in our community for coming together and putting on a celebration worthy of this momentous date!