March 7, 2023
The Windrush legacy of our parents journey has always been of great fascination to me as child growing up in the early sixties, especially over the last 25 years of telling their stories through creative writing and transforming my work into storytelling through my Windrush one man drama plays and my published poetry book poetry trilogy as well as through a series of educational programmes such as poetry and drama workshops and more recently film and motivational speaking for the community organisations schools and universities.
I’m so humble and honoured to know that the work l created all those years ago is still relevant today and is sought-after by a variety of groups and organisations across the country. So to have the opportunity to be a part of this year’s Windrush 75th anniversary 2023 means so much to me it’s so special because we know it will be the last for most of the original Windrush generation as well as for ourselves. I’m looking forward to taking part in this year’s celebration as much as when l first done the 50th Windrush anniversary in 1998.
When l first started out on my creative work as fashion model and choreographer which led to the iconic fashion show being produced entitled Fashion Through the Ages, little did l know I set the platform and destiny of my journey for life. After finishing my drama training at Next Stage drama college in Nottingham and starting out it was like being in a desert there was not much support around me but those who did help and support me and gave me my early breaks and opportunities l will be forever eternally grateful because not many people were familiar with the word Windrush then and even fewer believed my ideas of continually doing the same play all year round every year would not work let alone become a national and international renowned play that is still relevant theatre piece of work today. The desert that once surrounded me then is now become a metropolis of endless opportunities.
Especially now the word ‘Windrush’ is an international instantly recognised word ironically because of the UK Government Windrush Scandal, which has attracted many celebrities which is a good thing the more the better to make public aware what’s happening in the UK.
It makes me feel so proud to see it’s the time of the younger generation who are continuing the Windrush struggle of those early pioneers in their own way. Children of Windrush generation community is spread all over the world. It’s like my dreams have come through l can take my work to more places in the world especially when my new film entitled Streets Paved With Gold is finally released in 2023.
