Council marks Windrush Day
The Vale of Glamorgan Council marked Windrush Day with a Commonwealth Flag-raising ceremony at the Civic Offices in Barry.
Introduced in 2018, the occasion celebrates the arrival of the first generation of Caribbean migrants aboard the SS Empire Windrush at Tilbury Docks in Essex.
Despite being invited to this country by the UK Government to help rebuild Britain after World War II, many faced hostility and discrimination.
The purpose of Windrush Day is to celebrate those first pioneers and their descendants, who have played a vital role in establishing what it means to be British in today’s multi-cultural society.
Every year on and around the 22 June there are activities, such as dance performances, exhibitions, talks and debates across the UK.
The day helps challenge racism, prejudice and discrimination as well as to celebrate companionship and community.
In addition to flying the flag, Barry Island’s Western Shelter and the town’s Hood Road tunnel will be lit up in Commonwealth colours.
The Council is also encouraging people to share their Windrush stories through its social media channels or by emailing social@valeofglamorgan.gov.uk.
Cllr Kathryn McCaffer, Vale of Glamorgan Council Cabinet Member for Leisure, Arts and Culture, said: “It important to celebrate the contribution of the Windrush Generation who did so much important work in this country.
“We also need to be mindful of the more recent Windrush Scandal, when the UK Government asked people to provide paperwork to prove that they had the right to stay in the UK.
“This was nearly impossible for many as they either had not been given documents in the first place or because the government had destroyed its own records and put the onus on people to prove their right to be here.”
There is information on events taking place and stories about the Windrush Generation who made Wales their home.
The National Museum Wales is also screening Just ah likkle piece of Jamaica inna Port Talbot, an emotional and uplifting 40-minute film that celebrates the untold personal stories of Jamaican elders who made Port Talbot their home in the 1950s and 60s.
The showing will be followed by a live Q&A session with the directors, Faith Walker and Tracy Pallant, and Veronica Byrd who features in the film.