Windrush Volunteering

Emico staff member takes part in Windrush Volunteering 

Please see below a summary from De-Ann Dale (Procurement Coordinator) following the volunteering support she provided in aid of Windrush Day. 

Windrush Day is now observed nationally, and Thursday 22 June 2023 marked the 75th Anniversary.

Windrush, Windrush Day and the Windrush Generation are part of Black British History and without the Windrush Generation I would not be writing this review, nor would I be here.

My family and our ancestors come from Jamaica and Guyana and whilst here in England they established careers within the NHS, Construction, Education, and the British Army.  Today, I stand on their shoulders and that it why Windrush is immensely important to me.

I am very proud and pleased that the vision for Windrush 75 to be celebrated in Dacorum, Hemel Hempstead was realised this year by Yvonne Davis MBE (Founder of iCANE Foundation - a community charity).  Through iCANE Foundation, different community events were delivered from Thursday 22 until Sunday 25 June 2023 which I had the pleasure of attending. These community events were developed to celebrate the 75th Anniversary and were designed to:

• Build awareness of Black British History
• Highlight the invaluable contribution the Windrush Generation made to Britain following World War II (specifically those from Caribbean Countries)
• Celebrate the achievements and contributions of the Windrush Generation
• Commemorate their memories and stories. 

Each event was well attended, and the feedback obtained so far has been extremely positive.   

The events encompassed performances and presentations by:

• Reverend Michael King (the son of Sam King who founded Windrush Day and Co-founded Windrush Foundation)
• Partick Vernon OBE
• Black Heroes
• Hemel Hempstead Community Drummers (a newly formed group of children and adults from Dacorum funded by iCANE Foundation)
• Hemel Hempstead School Choir
• Hemel Hempstead School Dance Department
• No Ordinary Bookshop
• The Steelpan Agency
• Catering by Kathy.

I am grateful to iCANE Foundation for providing me with the opportunity to volunteer and contribute to Windrush 75 in Dacorum; which may well be the very first community events in Hemel Hempstead celebrating Windrush Day. I am particularly grateful to Emico Ltd for their encouragement, support of local charities and for facilitating my volunteering with iCANE Foundation.

I thoroughly enjoyed supporting iCANE Foundation, working with Yvonne Davis MBE, supporting the Windrush 75 events and contributing a poem I wrote entitled “For Windrush”.  In fact, I have been totally enthused by the energy and positivity that was felt at these events.

Hemel Hempstead is becoming more culturally diverse, and the Black population is growing here.  The diversity within events, arts and education are fundamental for our positive progression and cohesion. Therefore, I sincerely hope this is the start of what is to come.

De-Ann Dale

Procurement Coordinator