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NEW SHORES: Arrivals to England from the Caribbean on the SS Empire Windrush

A BIRMINGHAM church is marking the 69th anniversary of Windrush this Sunday (June 25) with a special evening service to remember those first settlers from the Caribbean who answered Britain’s call to help rebuild the ‘Mother Country’ after the Second World War.

The Assemblies of the First Born Church will host the evening service at 6pm in partnership with the Birmingham-based WAWI Project, a voluntary organisation which promotes the Caribbean’s military and civilian contribution to Britain over the past 400 years.

The service has been arranged by community activist and founder of Birmingham Empowerment Forum Desmond Jaddoo, who is also a Minister at the church in Lozells Road. He said:

“It will be a service of praise and worship in celebration of Windrush. This second annual service is of significance as Mr Michael Crabtree OBE, Lord Lieutenant of the West Midlands, will be in attendance.

“It’s essential that we always appreciate where we have come from in order to move forward together in a positive way. We look forward to celebrating Windrush 70 together next year.”

On 22nd June 1948 the first wave of 500 Caribbean men and women steamed up the Thames on board SS Windrush to dock in Tilbury, London. They arrived in a Britain broken by World War II which was depending on its Commonwealth citizens to get the country back on its feet.

There have been calls to make Windrush Day a national holiday to recognise the people, their children and grandchildren who helped to create a new concept of what it means to be British.

The Assemblies of the First Born Church is at 23 Lozells Road, Birmingham. B19 2TQ. The service will be held at 6pm.