Windrush Generations

In 2021, the UWE Bristol Windrush Generations Project celebrated and commemorated the contribution of the Windrush Generation through African-Caribbean descendants and their allies. The project was delivered through a series of creative participatory workshops with leading Bristol figures, including the then-Elected Mayor of Bristol, Marvin Rees, filmmaker Michael Jenkins, and educator Alisha Thomas. These workshops highlighted the amazing contributions made by Caribbean pioneers to British society. UWE Bristol students also worked alongside Caribbean elders to record and document their lives in Bristol and Britain, creating films, visual arts and photography, which enhanced their degree portfolios and provided resources for future generations.

The project continues to bring students and community members together in intergenerational learning projects. These projects have included profiles on Caribbean elders, a card heritage project featuring Black Bristolians with My Future My Choice, providing advice to Bristol Legacy Foundation, collaborating with Curiosity UnLtd's Bristol Bus Boycott 360 project, and honouring UWE Bristol alumni student and Bristol Bus Boycott campaigner, Dr Guy Bailey OBE, with a doctorate.

In 2025/26 we will focus on the children of the Windrush Generation through a multi-media artistic project that captures their contributions and challenges.

Future activities will offer Global Majority students opportunities to take part in creative projects, event management and work experience. For further information contact Dr Roger Griffith at roger.griffith@uwe.ac.uk.

Project aims

The 2021 project aimed to:

• highlight issues relating to a sense of belonging and a lack of positive Black role models
• break down barriers to Global Majority students, such as creative degrees not being viewed as a valid career compared to science or other subjects
• champion and represent Black cultures in Bristol and Britain
• offer Global Majority students networking and learning opportunities with leading academics, activists and artists
• offer a space to understand, listen and work on issues of race, equity, diversity and inclusivity.

Project team

The project was managed by a UWE Bristol team who are part of the Windrush generation or who have family members who are. The programme leads were: 

• Alisha Airey, an award-winning Senior Race Equality Consultant at UWE Bristol who has previously been selected for the 100 Black Power List and Future Leaders Programme
• Roger Griffith MBE, a writer, producer, educator and social activist
• Mian Ng, Associate Head of Department (International) in the School of Arts, supported students and is passionate about using creative tools to empower and share knowledge of issues affecting communities.

The project team worked with community partners who will share their research on different aspects of the migration and how this impacted on second, third, fourth and even fifth generations to give students a better sense of identity.

For more information about the project, please contact the Health and Applied Sciences Widening Participation team at haswpteam@uwe.ac.uk.