Windrush 75 Small Grants Programme
Overview
Birmingham City Council is offered grants of up to £2,000 for community groups and organisations to deliver projects that celebrate and recognise the contribution of the Windrush generation and their descendants in Birmingham.
The deadline for applications was Wednesday 19 April 2023 at 5:00pm.
£62,000 was made available for activities and events which will take place between 5 June and 31 August 2023 to positively celebrate UK Caribbean communities and raise awareness of communities who are now integral to the social fabric of a multi-diverse Birmingham.
Aims of the fund
The aims of the BCC Windrush 75 Small Grants Programme are to support inclusive community organised activity and events, which mark this significant milestone. The activities funded through the small grants fund will enable communities and people to share their stories, celebrate their contributions to British society and to share heritage experiences with diverse communities across Birmingham. This will all contribute to the promotion, understanding and awareness of the story of Windrush and post-war economic migration to Birmingham for all ages across Birmingham.
Activities and events that will be supported through this grant programme will:
- mark the 75 anniversary milestone and its significance
- engage with UK Caribbean communities, to ‘capture’ their stories, experiences and celebrate their contributions to Birmingham
- share Windrush Generation stories and experiences with Birmingham’s population to educate and spark a wider conversation about the positive impact of migration
- celebrate the ‘rich’ culture and traditions Caribbean people have brought to Birmingham.
List of Successful Projects
The following projects are awarded through this programme, and they will be delivering their activities between 5 June and 31 August 2023.
| Name of organisation | Project title | Project description | Final amount awarded |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arts All Over The Place |
Windrush Stories |
This request is for an intergenerational storytelling, drama and poetry focused on sharing Patios. The project includes a launch, a series of workshops at Handsworth Community Centre and the Hub in Erdington and a showcase event. The funding will pay for facilitators, venues, materials, refreshments and project management. | £2,000 |
| Ashebo CIC | Amazing Grace | This request is for a film making project to interview elders who came to live in the UK from the Caribbean from the late 40s. There will be a showcase event to celebrate their contribution to the local communities. The funding will pay for room hire, refreshments, staff, video making and administration. | £2,000 |
| Association of St Kitts & Nevis Descendants | Untold Stories of the Windrush Generation | This request is for a project that aims to preserve and celebrate the stories of those who came to Britain from the Caribbean a live performance - and recordings - of monologues which will be featured at St Kitts-Nevis Heritage Day. The project is for people of all ages across Birmingham. The funding will pay for room hire, facilitator, contributor and volunteer expenses, actors, filming and editing, marketing, food and entertainment, props and costumes and preparation of the monologues. | £2,000 |
| Birmingham Carnival Youth and Art Community Development Project (BCYACDP) | Connecting through Carnival | This request is for a series of carnival-themed arts workshops for people aged 13 years. and upwards in Holyhead and Handsworth Wood areas. The funding will pay for volunteer costs, materials and equipment, marketing and stationary, and evaluation. | £2,000 |
| Birmingham Education Partnership | Windrush 75 Historical School resource | This request is for the creation of a rich history resource that will be available to all primary schools to use within Birmingham. This resource will support teachers in educating pupils around Windrush 75. The funding will pay for an historian, resources and materials. | £2,000 |
| Birmingham Museums Trust | Windrush 75 at Soho House Museum | This request is for a three day programme of activities at Soho House Museum to celebrate and commemorate Windrush 75. The programme includes a walking tour in Handsworth focused on food, a family heritage session, lunch and a performance of 'My Father, His Journey', a family day and exhibition of Vanley Blakes 'Blood and Fire'. The funding will pay for artists, catering, speakers, photography and coordination. | £2,000 |
| Bofa Inspire CIC | Windrush Synaesthesia 2023 | This request is for a series of Windrush themed events including 1) Legacy: Black Migration Photographic exhibition, 2) Spices,. Tastes & Smells: Windrush Celebration day: 24 June including Food, Music, workshops, exhibitions, and 3) Oral History Walk Down Memory Lane: cultural heritage walk through the streets of Small Heath. The funding will pay for refreshments, venue hire, presenters, workshop facilitators, Windrush costumes and exhibits. | £2,000 |
| Craftspace | Windrush and Dorcas Clubs | This request is for a intergenerational project will celebrate how textile crafts and making travelled from the Caribbean to England through ‘Dorcas Clubs’, a female network based within the newly formed Black-led Pentecostal and Evangelical churches that emerged in 1950’s and 60’s Britain. Local artists, elders and students will learn how Caribbean crafting was a catalyst for social and economic change and acknowledge the contribution of Windrush craft heritage to British culture and other spheres of life. The funding will pay for artists, materials, speakers, marketing and minibus hire. | £1,000 |
| Eloquent Praise and Empowerment Dance Company | Dancerush 2023 | This request is to host a 'Dancerush Day' in celebration of the anniversary of Windrush. Workshops aimed at young people aged 4 -18 years. Young people will learn a range of cultural dance styles during the day whilst hearing different stories from those within the community who have experienced Windrush in different ways. The funding will pay for staff, videographer and equipment. | £2,000 |
| Handsworth Association of Schools | Celebrate and Appreciate Windrush Journey | This request is for a three celebration showcase days which forms part of the Windrush 75 focused summer playscheme for 300 children aged under 12. Speakers, Tutors and Artists will be brought in to work with the children to learn more about the Windrush generation, the activities will also be lined to the 'Every Journey Matters' project they will be running. The funding will pay for a contribution to artists, resources and materials. | £2,000 |
| Handsworth Village Hub CIC | Calabash Community Connection | This request is for two events - one will be an educational 'cook up corner'. Teaching and showcasing-how to make some tradition treat. The other a family event day. The events are for all. The funding will pay for venue, purchasing ingredients and games, caterers. | £750 |
| Inspire you Charity | Windrush Stories - short docu-style videos | This request is for a video project which will capture stories from five people from Birmingham who are descendants of the Windrush Generation. The funding will pay for production and editing of the videos. | £2,000 |
| Kashmiri Arts & Heritage Foundation | Windrush and Us | This request is for a series of workshops re-telling Windrush stories, interviewing those who have stories and experiences to share and celebrating Caribbean foods. The sessions are for people of all ages in Small Heath. The funding will pay for venue hire, printing, marketing and social media, facilitator and materials. | £2,000 |
| KD Culture (Working with Keneish Dance) | Dancing Roots | This request is for a series of dance workshops, for mixed ages, with a focus on over 55's in Ladywood and Small Heath. The workshops aim to understand and capture the history of Caribbean dance culture. The funding will pay for a facilitator and choreographer, two professional dance artists, film maker and refreshments. | £2,000 |
| Leaf Creative Arts CIC | Good Vibrations - Mini Caribbean Festival | This request is for a summer outdoor celebration event/showcase and a series of podcasts about the history of Caribbean music. In addition to the podcasts, through interviews and questionnaires, a ‘collective life sound tracks playlist’ will be produced to be archived. The funding will pay for staffing, venue hire, refreshments, marketing and project management. | £1,990 |
| MasterPeace Academy CIC | Windrush Jewellery Month | This request is for a commemoration event in the Jewellery Quarter to educate and showcase the contributions of Caribbean Jewellers to the British Jewellery Trade. It is for members of the public across the city. The funding will pay for a documentary film, photography, poetry, music, catalogue and educational resources. | £2,000 |
| MyBB Education CIC | Discovering and Celebrating Stories of Windrush | This request is for a series of three intergenerational storytelling and traditional games sessions for intergenerational audience in north Birmingham. The funding will pay for venue hire, facilitation and materials. | £2,000 |
| Neuro Sound Therapy CIC | A Generational Groove | This request is for a music project bringing together music artists from the Windrush generation and younger Birmingham artists. Two songs will be produced alongside a video documenting the journey producing the songs and a launch event in August. The funding will pay for rehearsal/studio space, artists time, marketing and a videographer. | £2,000 |
| Oldford Farm Allotments Holders Society | Windrush 75 – A day to celebrate British Caribbean Communities in Birmingham | This request is for a celebration event at the Oldford Farm allotments, which will include a cultural show (similar to a county show), carnival face painting and other activities, a Caribbean market and steel pan band for plot holders, their friends and family in Perry Barr. The funding will pay for utilities and equipment, steel pan band and face painter, Caribbean fruits and vegetables, rosettes and prizes, catering and consumables. | £2,000 |
| Paisley and Francis CIC | The Windrush Story 75 | This request is for the development of a documentary and screening for the Windrush generations, their descendants and the wider community of North Birmingham. The funding will pay for equipment hire, facilitation, venue hire and refreshments. | £2,000 |
| Rayon Wallace Helping Hand CIC | Windrush 75 in Aston | This request is for three events to celebrate Windrush and the Elders who travelled to Britain. The events are an awards ceremony to recognise contributions to Britain, the second an afternoon tea with films about Windrush, music and opportunity for Elders to hare their experiences, the third is a community day in the park. The events are for people of all ages in Aston. The funding will pay for commemorative gifts, catering, room hire, artists, photography and videography, bouncy castle. | £1,500 |
| Recognize Black Heritage & Culture | Silver Screen Cinema Club | This request is to host two screenings and talkbacks with question and answer panel at a local cinema. Look at Black actors and actresses on Television and Cinema from archives of BFI to discover lost or hidden gems and the experiences of the Windrush generations. The funding will pay for cinema hire, speakers, marketing, staffing and volunteers. | £2,000 |
| Redeemer Church Birmingham | Celebrating Windrush through Arts and Earth | This request is for 4 summer workshops and one big 'Party in the Park' event with a Windrush theme to gather Windrush stories and celebrate culture. The workshops will include using the arts and gardening to 'weave' the story of the Windrush generation, both gathering stories from citizens and telling the story to citizens present. The funding will pay for artists, materials and musicians. | £2,000 |
| Saturday School (Blackstory Partnership and Legacy Centre of Excellence) | Saturday School Next Generation Choir | This request is for a programme of Windrush creativity sessions for young people aged 5-17 in Newtown and the city centre. The programme is split into two halves: 1) focusing on education around Windrush 2) teaching Windrush songs and creative expression. The programme culminates in a performance at Legacy Centre of Excellence. The funding will pay for facilitation of eight sessions, music engineer studio time and song writing fees. | £1,550 |
| Shades of Black | Meeting Windrush | This request is for a project called Meeting Windrush which will work with Eunice McGhie-Belgrave, MBE and other members of the Windrush generation to share their experiences. The project will re-visit the 'After the Windrush: A journey from Paradise to Reality' from 20 years ago and will include workshops for children and their families, update the Windrush archives at the Library of Birmingham and support other Windrush 75 projects to include their work in the archives. The funding will pay for staff and volunteer costs, travel, printing and other exhibition materials. | £1,950 |
| SHINE@ Nechells POD | 75 Anniversary Windrush Event | This request is for a one off event to learn and celebrate 75 years since Windrush and the Caribbean community. The funding will pay for food, staffing, room hire, printing and display resources. | £2,000 |
| St Kitts, Nevis & Friends Association | Windrush Coronation Family Funday and Celebration | This request is for two events - 1) Windrush 75 2) the Coronation of King Charles at The Heartlands Social Club. The organisation has decided to incorporate both events because the event will bring lots of different communities and ages together to enjoy a Caribbean community themed community fun-day. The funding will pay for venue hire, entertainment, equipment, insurance, marketing, management fee, volunteer costs and £200 contingency. | £750 |
| St Michael's Church, Handsworth | Celebration of Windrush 75 anniversary | This request is for a celebration day at St Michael's Church. Activities will include food, music, a photo and written exhibition and children from the church school will showcase their work on Windrush 75. The funding will pay for food, publicity and activities. | £1,000 |
| St. Mark’s Catholic Primary School | 75 anniversary celebration of the Windrush in Birmingham | This project is for a full week of educational sessions and celebration day for pupils at St Marks Catholic Primary School in Great Barr. The funding will pay for musicians, artists, guest speakers and travel to the Windrush event at The Rep. | £2,000 |
| Stan’s Cafe and Gospel Revisited Project | Community Service | This request is for a project focusing on members of the Windrush generation who became police officers. Recording of their experiences will be taken, an audio piece will be developed and performed at a celebration event and a digital version of the recording and souvenir programme will be shared. The project is to raise awareness of these stories across Birmingham. The funding will pay for the interviews, development of audio piece and celebration event. | £1,500 |
| Sudden Productions | My grandparents, my parents and I | This project is for six community interviews and podcasts based on community recordings at Nechells Day Care Centre focussing on Birmingham Windrush stories. The funding will pay for hire of studio, actors and travel. | £2,000 |
| The Andy Hamilton Trust | The Notebenders | This request is for a music event showcasing Jazz, Ska and Calypso music that made an impact on Birmingham and also a podcast sharing experiences of living history. The event is for people of all ages in Ladywood and the surrounding areas. The funding will pay for admin, printing and publicity, venue, refreshments and volunteers, conductors fee plus podcast and photoshoot costs. | £2,000 |
| The Journey Two - Pannel Croft Village | Celebrating the Contribution and marking of the 75th anniversary of Windrush communities/generations | This request is for a week long programme for residents and guests at Extracare Pannel Croft in Newtown ward. Recognising and raising the standard flag on 22 June. The funding will pay for workshops, speakers, art materials, fashion show and exhibition. | £1,000 |
| Vivean Pomell sponsored by LOGOS West Midlands CIC | Three projects | This request is for a proposal is in three parts. Project 1 - Young poets next generation capturing stories in poetry. Project 2 - The next generation interviewing the Windrush generation. Project 3 - Designing bookmarkers with Windrush theme. The funding will pay for marketing, facilitators, poetry book development, venue hire and refreshments. | £2,000 |
| West Indian Chaplaincy | Their Journey our Legacy | This request is for two events. The first, to showcase Caribbean culture, heritage and talent through fashion, cultural clothing, music and dance. The second, a health and wellbeing forum to tackle medical issues that affect the black community. The events are for people of all ages in Handsworth and Aston. The funding will pay for guest speakers and facilitation, venue, printing, refreshments, PA system, videoing and editing. | £1,475 |
For further details of these activities, go to Windrush 75 events in Birmingham
Contact details
Email: ndsu@birmingham.gov.uk
Page last updated: 18 July 2023
