Monument unveiled in park on Windrush Day

A monument to honour the Windrush generation has been unveiled in Wolverhampton on Windrush Day, in recognition of its contribution to the city over the past 78 years.

The monument is the result of a community-led partnership developed over several years and follows a consultation with Wolverhampton's residents to help shape its location, themes and purpose.

Created by artist Luke Perry, it depicts the bow of the Windrush ship, an anchor, and rising chains, and was unveiled in St Patrick's Park, Broad Street Basin from 17:30 BST on Monday.

Speaking previously on behalf of Wolverhampton's Windrush Committee, Bishop Ruben King, from Churches 4 Positive Change said: "This monument honours those who were invited to cross oceans, came and reshaped Wolverhampton with their hands, their hope and their unbreakable spirit."

The monument features a poem, 'A Monument is a Testament', by poet Casey Bailey which is cut into the steel, and painted imagery by artist Victoria Murrain that tells family stories of the Windrush generation.

She said her parents and grandparents were part of the generation and that inspired her to be involved in the sculpture.

"It would be nice if every city could get it to show the importance of the Windrush generation people and what they did after the devastation of war in this country," she said.

Wolverhampton received around 3,000 original Windrush generation residents, from 1948-71.

HMT Empire Windrush, which docked in Tilbury, Essex, in 1948, was the first ship to arrive in England bringing hundreds of passengers from the Caribbean under plans to address the nation's post-War labour shortage.

Events commemorating Windrush Day have been held on 22 June every year since 2018.

In 2023, King Charles, who held a reception at Buckingham Palace to mark the 75th anniversary of the arrival of HMT Windrush, hailed the Windrush generation's "profound and permanent contribution to British life".

This year will see events taking place across the country, including a number sponsored by the government's Windrush Day Grant Scheme.

Windrush Stories Day returned to the Black Country Living Museum on Saturday, to celebrate the real voices, stories and contributions of the Windrush Generation.

According to a government website, since the funding initiative began in 2018, more than 300 projects have received a share of £4.25m in celebration of the contributions of the Windrush generation and their descendants.

All projects will deliver an event or activity on national Windrush Day on 22 June and are expected to conclude in late July.

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