THE OFFICIAL GUIDE TO BLACK 2018 HISTORY MONTH
HEROES
IN THE ROYAL AIR FORCE MARKING THE 100 ANNIVERSARY TH
MY INTERVIEW WITH GRANDAD 70 years on from answering the call
DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION at Transport for London
THE FORGOTTEN FIRST in Women’s Suffrage
Also inside: The Prime Minister, The Mayor of London, The NHS at 70, Sickle Cell Society plus much more. Supported by
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CONTENTS 4
The Prime Minister
6
The Mayor of London
8
The Home Secretary
25 National Grid an inclusive and diverse culture
30 HSBC Three black women making history today
10 Anthony Nolan
35 TheKrios.com
Black donors are especially needed
12 Heroes
Celebrating Krios worldwide 42 The Forgotten First in women’s suffrage
in the Royal Air Force
15 NHS at 70
44 Africans Fight for Britain
and the Windrush 70 awards
18 My Interview with Grandad
49 Diversity and Inclusion at Transport for London
70 years on after answering the call 52 The Sickle Cell Society nears a big milestone
22 Stonewall Some people of colour are LGBTQ
Talent Media would like to thank Onyeka and Tanya from Narrative-eye, Jeanelle Titre, Iyamide Thomas, Sanjay Sood-Smith, Reg Wilhelm, Jenny Uotila, Rosalie Spawls, Wayne and Danielle, Ade Daramy and Eddy Smythe for your contributions and support in putting together this year’s magazine.
© Copyright 2018 bHM Magazine - The Official Guide to Black History Month ® is published by Talent Media, Registered office: 106 Charter Ave, Ilford, Essex IG2 7AD, W. www.officialblackhistorymonthuk.co.uk T: 020 3697 9371. Copyright of all images and articles remains with the publisher unless otherwise stated. All other rights recognised. No material in this publication may be used or copied without prior permission from the publisher or contributor. Disclaimer: We cannot accept responsibility for any unsolicited text, photographs or illustrations. Views expressed and included in bHM Magazine by individual contributors are not necessarily those of the publishers. Publisher: Darren Waite - Sub Editor: Robert Ingham - Guest Writer: Iyamide Thomas - Design: Ross Miller - Social Media: Nate Parker. Cover Image: Johnny Smythe, ©Eddy Smythe
that our African the extraordinary contribution th Magazine in celebrating Mon ory Hist k Blac ort I’m honoured to supp Kingdom. munities make to the United and African Caribbean com y Equiano, whose autobiograph published poet to Olaudah first black British voter and lition movement, the African abo the of part key a From Ignatius Sancho, the me beca lvanised public opinion and and experiences as a slave ga ry of our nation. bly woven into the cultural histo trica inex is in Brita in ence pres , like Vogue’s the fabric of our country. Some people have become part of sh Briti k Blac , tions nera Over many ge well-known to us. Ghanaian Edward Enniful, are editor-in-chief, British-born 1914, left Jamaica and am Robinson Clarke who, in heroes, such as Sergeant Willi in’s first black pilot. Brita me beco Others are the little-known to on go ld part in the war and wou travelled to Britain to play his more work to be done to ortunity, I know there is still es to improve equality of opp the first things I did was of one ster, Mini e Prim While we’ve made great strid ming everyone. That’s why, on beco for backgrounds are treated s ic work ethn ety rent soci diffe our re from ensu how people arity Audit to shine a light on Disp ace the R ion miss com across our public services. ot be explained they r that if these disparities cann do this and I have been clea to d programme to help n worl millio the in £90 try a coun with e a start We are the first last October, we have mad ch, a number of laun its ard forw from on take to year A ent mitm must be tackled. ns in education, and a com usio excl of w revie a t, men tackle youth unemploy inal justice system. id Lammy Review of the crim recommendations in the Dav our society. That includes the tices wherever they occur in my promise to root out injus elcome in this country - their unw feel ens citiz lth I’m determined to deliver on wea mon year, which made many Com this this, but it never should have er fix earli to dal can scan we h g drus ythin Win to do ever inely sorry. We have pledged genu am I h whic for e hom happened. that I’m immensely nic democracy, and it is one Century is a diverse multi-eth where everyone, 21st try the in coun y a in toda in Brita e Brita mak to We know that what we have already achieved on build to ed rmin dete proud to lead. I’m from, can get on in life. or what background they’re regardless of who they are in nity to mark the many ways azine for taking this opportu k Black History Month Mag that Black history is British us g indin rem for Once again, I’d like to than and – t women make this country grea which Black British men and history, and belongs to us all.
4 - bHM 2018
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lasting impact of his death on our
Like most people I was horrified to
society.
learn that some of the Windrush
generation – many of whom
At City Hall we are determined to
are Londoners – had been
lead by example and do all we
subjected to appalling treatment
Black History Month is an excellent
can to tackle the many challenges
by our government. I was further
opportunity to honour the significant
that are still being faced among
shocked to learn of the problems
social, economic and cultural
our communities. This includes
young Londoners with insecure
contribution black Londoners make
targeting the under-representation
immigration status have faced.
to life in our city and country. From
of young black men in the capital’s
This really has shone a light on an
celebrating the African-Caribbean
labour market through schemes
immigration system that is unfit for
community at Europe’s biggest
such as our Workplace Integration
purpose and I will continue to call
street festival, Notting Hill Carnival,
Network.
on the government to end its hostile
to the millions represented by the
environment policy.
war memorial in Brixton, black
In August it was my privilege to
history is woven into the fabric
open up City Hall for a service in
It is important that we remember
of our city. I’m looking forward
commemoration of the International
that black history is a part of
to joining Londoners from all
Day of Remembrance of the Slave
everyone’s history. That’s why
backgrounds in the celebrations
Trade and its Abolition. The evening
here at City Hall, we’ve made
whilst also raising awareness of
was a poignant reminder of how
it a priority to ensure that we
the challenges that are still faced in
slavery has shaped London and
recognise the tragedy and injustice
London today.
how its legacy of prejudice and
that sought to divide us in the
exploitation continues to affect
past, while also celebrating the
This month at City Hall we will
communities today.
phenomenal achievements and
again be holding a Black History
the shared stories that have united
Month reception after I restored
We also opened up City Hall
communities in modern Britain.
the event last year. On October 27,
to mark the 70th anniversary
Londoners and visitors are invited
of the arrival of the SS Empire
Wishing everyone a very special
to Africa on the Square – our annual
Windrush and pay tribute to those
Black History Month.
festival of music, art, food and
remarkable men and women
dance in Trafalgar Square.
who helped rebuild the country
after the war. ‘Arrival’ reflected
There’s no doubt that it has
the best of London and featured
been an important year for black
outstanding contributions, including
communities in Britain. It is 25 years
an art installation by gal-dem and
since the racist murder of London
contributions from Afua Hirsch,
teenager Stephen Lawrence, and
Sharmadean Reid and Kwame
in April I attended a reception with
Kwei-Armah.
Baroness Lawrence to celebrate
Steven’s life and reflect on the
6 - WHM 2018
Sadiq Khan Mayor of London
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In the year that has celebrated the 70th anniversary of Windrush and the foundation of the NHS, it is more important than ever to recognise the immense contribution that black men and women have made to the UK. It is vital we celebrate and remember the stories of bravery, endeavour and ambition that saw thousands of people leave their homes to come to Britain. Without them, our nation would not have been rebuilt after the Second World War and our National Health Service would not be the source of national pride that it is today. This was a contribution driven, in no small part, by their hard work and their vision for a better tomorrow for Britain. All black people have helped to create the richly diverse society that we live in today. But just as we celebrate the diversity that makes this country great, we cannot be complacent or ignore the prejudice and racism which still plagues some sections of our society. We all need to unite and challenge modern-day bigotry of all kinds – and Black History Month plays a vital role in doing this. By reminding us of the courage and incredible contribution made by black British people, it shows us how far we’ve come but also, how far we still have to go.
The Rt.Hon Sajid Javed MP Home Secretary
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‘BLACK DONORS ARE ESPECIALLY NEEDED. SIGN UP AND YOU CAN CHANGE SOMEONE’S LIFE.’ Douglas, who donated his stem cells in August 2018 to potentially save the life of someone with blood cancer. ‘I didn’t know that black people have a reduced chance of finding a match until I went to an Anthony Nolan event at university. That’s what got me to sign up to the Anthony Nolan stem cell register. ‘Cancer is something that can affect anybody at any point in their life. If my family or friends got blood cancer, I’d want them to have the best chance of surviving. ‘Seven years later, I got a call saying I was a match for someone who needed a lifesaving stem cell transplant. At first, I was a bit nervous, but donating stem cells doesn’t take much time and
I didn’t find any of it painful. ‘Even if it was, I think a little bit of pain is okay when you’ve got the chance to save someone’s life. ‘I’m really proud to be a stem cell donor. It feels absolutely amazing. I’ve told friends about it and it got them thinking about joining the Anthony Nolan stem cell register as well.’
ONLY 20% CHANCE African Caribbean blood cancer patients only have a 20% chance of getting the best possible stem cell donor match, compared to almost 70% of patients from Northern European backgrounds.
If you’re aged 16–30, you can join Douglas on the Anthony Nolan stem cell register to be ready and waiting to help someone with blood cancer. If you’re over 30, help us campaign to give blood cancer patients a voice and raise the vital funds needed to save more lives.
anthonynolan.org/bhm
Reg charity no 803716/SC038827 1693CM 09/18
Sierra Leonean
Heroes in the Royal Air Force
By Iyamide Thomas 1 April 2018 marked the 100th anniversary of Britain’s Royal Air Force (RAF) and 12th April saw the long awaited official opening of the International Bomber Command Centre (IBCC) in Lincoln. A world-class facility acknowledging the efforts, sacrifices and commitment of the men and women, from 62 different nations, who came together in Bomber Command during World War 2. The IBCC is also building a digital archive and has so far preserved over 1500 collections of memorabilia and recorded over 900 oral histories about people
12 - bHM 2018
who served in or experienced the war. In this issue of BHM Magazine we feature excerpts from two articles previously written in Black History Month Magazine (2014 and 2017) in collaboration with Eddy Smythe and Olu Hyde, sons of Sierra Leonean World War 2 heroes RAF Pilot Officers Johnny Smythe, O.B.E and Ade Hyde, C.B.E. respectively. I was privileged to attend the opening of the IBCC with my friend Eddy, where his interview of his dad is now memorialised and can be accessed here: (https://ibccdigitalarchive. lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/ collections/document/8776)
Eddy and Olu remember their fathers.
Adesanya Kwamina Hyde Adesanya Kwamina Hyde, my father, was born on the 4th September 1915 in Freetown, Sierra Leone. Although he was Kroo, an ethnic group in West Africa who were traditionally fishermen, the family lived in a Krio wooden house. Ade Hyde, as he was commonly known, was educated in Freetown. During the great depression (1929–1939) there were few good job opportunities for people leaving school. He recalled drinking with friends when one pointed out an advert in a newspaper for volunteers to join the Royal Air Force (RAF). True to his
adventurous spirit and desire to improve himself, he travelled to the United Kingdom in 1941 and enlisted in the RAF. Although he spoke very little about his years in the RAF, dad did mention his experience of a bitter winter at his first training base, RAF Lossiemouth in the north of Scotland, with particular reference to the toilets being in outbuildings and freezing. How he must have longed for the West African sunshine! He graduated from training as a navigator and took part in 31 operations in Bomber Command including D-Day operations in 1944. In August 1944 he was wounded when a German anti-aircraft shell exploded close to his Lincoln Handley Page bomber and sent shrapnel through the fuselage. A piece of shrapnel lodged itself in his right shoulder. The routine procedure following such a serious and painful injury during an operation was to administer a morphine injection. He knew that this would render him incapable of navigating
back and therefore put the lives of the whole crew at risk. He refused the injection and navigated back to the United Kingdom in extreme pain. He only accepted the morphine when the pilot spotted the white cliffs of Dover and was sure he could find his way back to base unaided. In November 1944 my father was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (D.F.C) for this act of valour, courage and devotion to duty. He was also promoted to Pilot Officer. My father was quiet with great humility and charm. He did not like violence. He never liked war. The most obvious reminder that he had been to war was the scar from the shrapnel on his shoulder which was in the shape of an oak leaf.
John (‘Johnny’) Henry Smythe John (‘Johnny’) Henry Smythe QC, OBE (1915 -1996) was born in Freetown, Sierra Leone, West Africa. At school he excelled in high jump, sprinting, cricket and soccer. He did not have to go to war but when the British called on the colonies to assist its war effort to stop Hitler’s Germany, he volunteered. After basic training under British officers in Freetown he rose to the rank of sergeant in 1939. When a volunteer force for the RAF was needed, though hundreds volunteered, Johnny Smythe was one of six Sierra Leoneans chosen who duly sailed to England. He became an RAF navigator and helped pilots flying Lancaster bombers stay on course during bombing missions in Germany and Italy.
Adesanya Kwamina Hyde 13 - bHM 2018
My father undertook 27 bombing missions and, on a mission on November 18, 1943 their plane was shot down.
He was our hero and a fantastic role model.
He was wounded and although parachuted successfully he was captured and spent 18 months in Stalag Luft I, a German prisoner of war camp before being released in 1945 when the Russians finally invaded Germany.
When he was stationed in London after the end of the war Dad worked for the English Colonial Office, which was the department of the Secretary of State for the colonies.
Strangely, I grew up knowing fairly little about my dad’s war record and what actually went on during that time. He simply never spoke about it. My siblings and I were always scared of having to wake him up, because no matter how gently you tried to rouse him, he would almost leap out of bed shouting. We learnt this was due to attacks that took place at the various camps he trained at in the UK, as the German air force tried to kill as many trainee airmen as possible. We almost had to draw lots with the loser having to wake him up! It was only years later we got the full story.
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My Dad’s S.S. Empire Windrush Contribution
The department was responsible for supervising the welfare of the five thousand or more troops from the colonies then serving in the armed forces in Britain as well as for
Indian airmen who had been demobilised and who were returning to their respective home islands in the Caribbean. They travelled on an old ship, the S.S. Empire Windrush. Most of the Caribbean islands were visited, dropping airmen off on route. Jamaica was the largest of the islands visited but it was paralysed by economic and social problems with high rates of unemployment. As a result, the men were given the option of returning to Britain to work which most of them did. Hence my dad returned with the airmen on Windrush to Southampton and the rest as they say is history!
John (‘Johnny’) Henry Smythe QC, OBE
effecting arrangements for their repatriation if and when the need arose. In his post, dad was required to accompany a large contingent of West
NHS 70 and Windrush 70 awards 2018 marks the 70th year of the National Health Service, or the NHS as we have come to know it. Seven decades of change, challenges, adapting, innovation and survival.
guests in attendance. The special guest on the night was Mr Alford Gardner, 92, from Leeds, who was one of the 496 passengers to arrive on the Empire Windrush. With over 200 nationalities All winners had the represented in the health opportunity to meet the prime service, it was our way of minister at a garden reception thanking those who have gone hosted at 10 Downing Street. before us – learning the lessons This was preceded by the from the past and the present. national Windrush service at A chance to take stock of Westminster Abbey on Friday where we are on workforce 22 June, marking 70 years of race equality right now in the arrival of the Windrush. the NHS, and we look to the future of what is yet to come. Award winners More than 11,000 members of the public, patients and • Rising stars innovation staff nominated NHS staff, award – sponsored by past and present for the NHS NHS Digital: Ghazala Windrush 70 awards across 11 Yasin: cardiology categories. The awards took nurse consultant and place in Manchester with 600 nurse angiographer,
The Unsung Hero award goes to Judith Fairweather
Two weeks before the NHS was launched in Manchester by The Right Honourable Aneurin Bevan MP, the then Minister for Health, some 300 miles south in Tilbury docks, the former German cruise liner Empire Windrush arrived in the UK, carrying 492 passengers from the West Indies. On Tuesday 12 June 2018, as part of the Windrush 70 celebrations, NHS England celebrated the diversity of the NHS.
Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust. • Operational service excellence award – sponsored by UNISON: Evelyn Beckley: Patients’ Affairs Officer, South West Yorkshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust. • Clinical excellence award for medics – sponsored by British Medical 15 - bHM 2018
Association: Dr Sanjeev Nayak: Consultant Interventional Neuroradiologist, University Hospitals of North Midlands. • Clinical excellence award for nursing – sponsored by Royal college of Nursing: Dennis Singson: Community Mental Health Nurse and Nurse Prescriber, Crisis Resolution and Home Treatment (CRHT) Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust. • Clinical Excellence Award for allied health professionals – sponsored by Care Quality Commission: Kashmira Sangle: Physiotherapist and Clinical Lead, Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust.
• Research and policy development award – sponsored by Health Education England: Dr Amos Burke: Associate Director, National Institute for Health Research Cancer Research Network for Children’s Cancer and Leukaemia, Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. • BME inspirational leader award – sponsored by NHS Improvement: Dr Bijay Sinha: Consultant Physician, Barts Health NHS Trust. • Contributing towards improving health inequalities award – sponsored by Public Health England: Beatrice Akyeampong: Retired
Nurse, Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust and Dr.Vanessa Apea: Sexual Health Consultant, Barts Health NHS Trust. • Unsung hero award – sponsored by The Guardian: Judith Fairweather: Mental Health Nurse and Deputy Director of contracting North and East London Commissioning Support Unit. • NHS lifetime achievement award – sponsored by NHS England: Comfort Offorjindu: Retired Nurse, Whittington Health NHS Foundation Trust
• Top leadership award – sponsored by NHS Leadership Academy: Doreen Black: Matron for Oncology and Haematology, Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust.
Clinical excellence award for nursing. Winner Dennis Singson 16 - bHM 2018
The BME Inspirational Leader award winner is Dr Bijay Sinha
The NHS workforce Ensuring that all staff in the NHS are supported, valued and respected is reflective of the ideologies and principles of the NHS Constitution. Yet, we know that the experiences and opportunities that black and minority ethnic (BME) staff receive do not always correspond to those values. For example, BME staff are, in general, less likely than their white colleagues to be given opportunities for progression, and are less likely to find themselves in senior positions and at board level. The relationship between a supported workforce and better outcomes for communities served is well-established. It is seen in the NHS where research suggests that the less favourable treatment of BME staff in the NHS, through poor treatment and opportunities, has detrimental impact on the quality of patient care, patient safety and outcomes. It was partly for the above reasons that, in 2015, the Workforce Race Equality Standard (WRES) was introduced across the NHS. What is the Workforce Race Equality Standard (WRES)? Implementing the Workforce Race Equality Standard (WRES) is a requirement for NHS commissioners and NHS healthcare providers including independent organisations, through the NHS standard contract. One of the key aspects of the WRES is data collection and action planning against
nine indicators. Of the nine indicators, eight cover BME appointments and career progression, experiences in bullying; by colleagues, managers, patients and the public, disciplinary action and one measures voting board representation. Although there is a long way to go, there is some evidence of continued improvements. How have things changed? The 2017 Workforce Race Equality Standard (WRES) data show that an increasing proportion of senior nursing and midwife posts are being filled by people from BME backgrounds, and that there has been a rise in senior BME leaders. The report confirms that an increasing number of trusts have more than one board member from a BME background, with 25 trusts being represented at board level by three or more people from BME communities. However, the WRES demonstrates areas where the NHS needs to make further progress. Despite
significant improvements in board and senior management representation, the overall number of BME background leadership positions is still not proportionate to the number of BME workers at other levels in the organisation. The report also highlights that although people from BME backgrounds are now less likely to be entered into disciplinary action than in 2016, this same group is 1.4 times more likely to go through this formal process than other members of staff. The WRES continues to prompt inquiry and assist healthcare organisations to develop and implement evidence-based responses to the challenges their data reveal. It assists organisations to meet the aims of the NHS Five Year Forward View and complements other NHS policy frameworks such as “Developing People – Improving Care”. We hope to see continued improvements in the 2018 WRES data, when it is published later this year. 17 - bHM 2018
Mr W D Bowen
Could I make the decisions they made and take the opportunities they took? Over a cup of tea and a few Rich Tea biccies, I sat and asked my grandad, William David Bowen, (Grandad David) a few questions on his experience coming to the UK and also how his journey has differed from mine being a Train Driver in the same company he joined 57 years ago.
My Interview with Grandad
Jeanelle: What year did you come over to the UK?
70 years on, after answering the call
J: Oh okay so you weren’t very young then! What actually made you come over to the UK?
Interview by Jeanelle Titre
As a second generation Black British female of Caribbean decent, I can honestly say I would be stumped if in the space of three months I made the decision to move over to a country I knew very little of. From 1948 to 1971, 1000s of people from all over the Caribbean came to the United Kingdom, answering 18 - bHM 2018
to the call by the British government due to the post war shortages for workers and to help better their lives and those of their children. Both my maternal and paternal grandparents answered those calls and it is only now in the 70th Anniversary year that I am trying to appreciate the decision they all made as I am set to embark on my own journey as a parent.
Grandad David: I arrived in the England 1st October 1961. I was 30 years old.
GD: (Laughs) No, not very young but young enough! A lot of my friends and some extended family members had come over and written me letters about the opportunities as well as the cold. I was a carpenter at that point building houses, but a lot of factories had started closing down so there wasn’t much money going around. No-one wanted a
house built so I decided to see what all the fuss was about!
J: Wow, that was a lot of money back then I am guessing?
J: What job were you planning on doing? Was carpentry an option in England for you?
GD: Yes, about £1500 in today’s money. And it wasn’t a direct flight either. We took a small twin-engine plane to the Bahamas, changed onto a slightly bigger plane to the States and finally a big jet to London Gatwick.
GD: I planned to work for London Transport Executive (LTE) for a year, work in carpentry for 4 years then go back home. J: So you only planned five years here! And 57 years later aye (laughs) GD: (Laughs) I know I know. Recruitment was done in Barbados. I applied through the government back home, had my assessment and passed. There was two months training at night school whilst I worked. We had to learn the money and how to do the job as we didn’t really know much about England. Once all my training was completed, £75 was paid by the government for me to travel to London. The deal was they paid for our ticket, we paid it back over a year and if we completed the initial contracted year they give back £25. If you didn’t, then you owed them £75.
A few mates of mine were travelling with me and Gatwick in 1961 wasn’t the big airport you know now. So much has changed since. J: So how long did you work in transport as a conductor for? GD: I worked as a conductor for 31 years and 4 months. I once applied to be a driver but the application took so long that my provisional bus license ran out. I didn’t want to pay for
“My mate kept saying how comes the sun here is so cold!”
“We had to learn the money and how to do the job as we didn’t really know much about England” it again so stayed as a conductor. The pay wasn’t much different either. I got £28 per month at first and drivers got £28.85. J: So was it a hard decision coming over to England? GD: No not at all. I hadn’t originally planned to be here for that long so it was almost like a short break! I had loads of friends over here at the time as well. J: What was it like when you first arrived? GD: (Laughs) Ohhh very cold! The training centre was in Chiswick. My mate kept saying how comes the sun here is so cold! To be honest if I had the money, I would have returned the next day, but summer came and I didn’t think about home anymore. I arrived 19 - bHM 2018
Trolleybus Roundel © London Transport Museum
with three other guys I had trained with; the company (LTE) had arranged our travel and housing. It was a room with a bed, a settee and a stove, the bathroom was shared with others in the house. We cooked a lot to keep warm as it was so cold. Our rent was £3 each per person, so that room cost us £12 and our salary at first was £7 per week. J: Wow, £3 per week! How long were you there for? GD: Oh I saved my money and did a lot of overtime. You see a working day was 7 hours when I joined and any minute over that was double pay. So I would work six days sometimes or work on my rest days at 1.5 times the normal rate. I stayed in that room for two months then moved to Hornsey to my own flat. In 1976 I bought a house in Tottenham a couple of roads down from here and, in 1977, sold that one and bought this one. J: Oh that’s great! So you were able to save after a lot of hard work then?
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GD: Yes, no one really wanted to do our job, it was mostly West Indians and Irish people working in transport at that time. J: How were you met by members of the public?
evening from 16:00-19:00. I wasn’t allowed to let more people on otherwise the police would stop the bus and fine me so I would refuse them entry onto the bus and they would start with the racial stuff.
GD: Well, my colleagues were all very nice. We all got along pretty well. The problem was on the buses. As a conductor I was constantly told to go back to where I come from. Sometimes I was called names. It was bad, very hostile. Sometimes the whole bus would join in and shout at me.
J: You would be fined personally or the company?
J: Oh my gosh, that is horrible, the whole bus?
People were threatening to leave and they needed us to stay in the jobs. The garages were a different story though. We all got along well and played snooker in our spare time.
GD: Yes, see downstairs on the buses you could only have five standing of a morning 06:30-09:30 and
GD: No, me personally. And as upstairs was where you were allowed to smoke, non-smokers did not want to go up there so the buses downstairs got full very quickly. Things got so bad for us conductors we got a raise to £10 per week.
There were two snooker tables and the canteen was open until 11pm. The food was hot and cheap so sometimes on your day off you could go in a get a meal and catch up with your mates. J: What was a typical day like for you? GD: Well I would get up at 01:00 if I started at 03:00. There was a staff bus that took you to the garage but I did not live near the pick-up point so I still had to get a bus to get there. J: Oh my! 03:00 start is far too early! (laughs) GD: (Laughs) For me it was good, it meant I finished earlier and could do what I wanted. I would get to the garage and do the bus checks with the driver.
There was a long bamboo pole with a hook on it the length of the bus placed underneath.
J: Well, if you had the chance to do this all again, knowing what you know, would you?
Sometimes the cables would come loose, me and the driver would have to use the pole and pull the cables down to reattach the bus to them.
GD: Of course! Nothing was as I imagined, especially the cold, and the first time I saw snow. New Year’s Eve 1961 where it snowed for three months.
J: Wow, I didn’t even know we had cable buses! Oh how things have changed. (Laughs) It’s shocking!
But I would not change this experience. There has been some good times and some bad times. But that’s life isn’t it?
GD: Oh yes! It was a completely different world back then. The trolley buses were gone by December 1961 and diesel buses came in to replace them fully.
J: That it is!
We went back to Chiswick to retrain on those buses.
Jeanelle Titre
I was on the 625 and 629 route which was a trolley bus. We had overhead cables that connected to the bus and powered it along. We had to make sure all was well before we went out. The driver back then was only there to drive. Any faults I had to deal with. Trolleybus © London Transport Museum
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Some People of Colour are LGBTQ. Get over it! By Sanjay Sood-Smith, Director of Empowerment Programmes at Stonewall
The Stonewall Riots in June 1969, which signalled the start of the modern LGBT liberation movement, would never have happened if it wasn’t for three incredibly influential women of colour, two of which were of black descent. Marsha P. Johnson, Stormé DeLarverie and Sylvia Rivera all played a crucial role in the uprising which was triggered by a violent police raid on the Stonewall Inn in Manhattan. The riots that followed were pivotal in the struggle for LGBT equality and are also the reason we celebrate Pride month in June every year
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That’s why Black History Month is so important to the LGBT community – it gives us the opportunity to put the spotlight on the black LGBT people throughout history, who we owe so much, and celebrate them for their extreme bravery and courage. Since 1969, when women like Johnson, Rivera and
DeLarverie were being routinely persecuted by the police just for being themselves, we have made huge strides toward equality. But there is still a long way to go. For black LGBT people, the discrimination they face in their daily lives because of their sexuality or gender identity is also
compounded by the racism and discrimination they experience because of their ethnicity. This double discrimination affects black LGBT people’s experiences within both the LGBT community and BAME communities. Earlier this year, new Stonewall research revealed some very troubling findings - our Home and Communities report found that half of black, Asian and minority ethnic LGBT people (51 per cent) had experienced discrimination in their local LGBT community because of their ethnicity. This number rises to three in five black LGBT people (61 per cent). The abuse BAME LGBT
people face from the community includes feeling excluded from LGBT specific spaces as well as facing hurtful comments. This racist behaviour and language has a devastating impact, leaving already marginalised members of the LGBT community feeling shut out and isolated. It’s unacceptable and inexcusable that such discrimination exists in a community so often celebrated for its diversity and tolerance. There is very clearly a huge amount to learn from this research, and LGBT organisations, groups and venues have some hard truths to face. However, if the wider LGBT
community recognises that this discrimination exists and takes action, there is hope for positive change. An important first step that must be taken is ensuring BAME LGBT people are represented in decisionmaking structures. Other steps that can make a huge difference include arranging for staff or group members to have antidiscrimination training, setting up meaningful partnerships with local BAME community groups and creating a policy to tackle discrimination of all kinds. But this research also demonstrates how important it is that we create spaces where BAME LGBT people can come together and celebrate who they are, free from abuse and discrimination. For this very reason, Stonewall’s BAME and POC staff network group recently organised their first Diaspora Showcase - a unique event featuring inspiring voices from the BAME/POC LGBTQ
Sanjay Sood-Smith
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community, including activists, performers, poets and writers. It was solely created by and made for BAME/POC people as a celebration of our identities, and included discussions and performances centred around the experiences of marginalisation within society.
work to be done, but even very small changes at a local level are a really crucial step forward and may make a huge difference to a young person who is struggling with their sexuality or gender identity.
sure the wealth of different identities within the LGBT community are not only fully represented but truly celebrated. Only then can we achieve acceptance without exception for all LGBT people.
If we want to live in a world where everyone is included, we must make
- all images ŠStonewall
At Stonewall we also run free BAME role models programmes for people of colour who identify as LGBT. These initiatives give participants the opportunity to reflect on what being a person of colour and LGBT means to them. They also explore how individuals can play an active role in creating the positive change they want to see in their own communities.
Stonewall event
It’s vital that LGBT people of colour have visible role models in their schools, workplaces and places of worship and are given the chance to see celebrations of difference and diversity. We know there is lots of Cherish Oteka
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Making inclusion and diversity better for everyone. Our ambition is to drive, develop and operate our business in a way that results in a more inclusive culture. We are committed to building: • a workforce which represents the communities we serve • a working environment in which everyone feels respected, fairly treated, valued and able to reach their full potential. Our Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) are important enablers; they help to foster a diverse and inclusive workplace. To learn more about our ERGs and role models, please see: nationalgrid.com/remarkable Find out more about job opportunities at National Grid: careers.nationalgrid.com
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An inclusive and diverse culture. National Grid is an electricity and gas utility focused on transmission and distribution activities in both the United Kingdom and the United States. We are one of the world’s largest investor-owned energy utilities, committed to delivering electricity and gas safely, reliably and efficiently to the customers and communities we serve. We aim to drive, develop and operate our business in a way that results in a more inclusive culture. We are committed to building a workforce which represents the communities we serve, as well as a working environment in which each individual feels respected, fairly treated, valued and able to reach their full potential. An inclusive workplace is one where everyone is welcome, feels that they can be themselves and that the fostering of inclusion and acknowledging of diversity is everyone’s responsibility. We welcome individuals from diverse backgrounds and help them to achieve their career ambitions.
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Dean Seavers Executive Director, US I joined National Grid in 2014, having previously worked in senior roles across other industries. I’m responsible for the performance of our US business, including driving our clean energy transition agenda. National Grid is very dynamic, innovative and customer focused, all attributes that are critical to our long-term success. This is driven by career development opportunities for our people – many of our colleagues have been with us for 30 years or more, and that, in part, is due to the employee work experience that we are continuously improving. We provide our people with diverse opportunities for development, wherever they work – that could be skills development training, or through engagement in external peer industry forums. By participating in these activities, colleagues are developing as professionals, and bringing back new experiences and ideas to help shape our ways of working.
In our US business, we have 16,000 employees, and we celebrate our diversity as well as encourage colleagues to respect each other’s differences as strengths. Whether we are speaking about diversity from an ethnic, cultural, racial or gender perspective, or from a background, experience or skills angle, we know we are stronger as a company because we foster an inclusive and respectful culture. I see clear evidence that increasing the diversity of our teams, right up through senior leadership, leads to better performance. But diversity alone isn’t enough – we also need to be inclusive. Once you attract a diverse workforce, inclusivity will allow our employees to bring their best selves to work. Here in the US, we have a number of Employee Resource Groups which provide opportunities for employees to build their careers and skills through networking, peer mentoring and engagement with senior leadership. I believe that this will also help attract new, diverse talent into our business and to best serve our diverse customers. Working at National Grid provides a chance to tackle the clean energy future alongside some of the smartest, most committed people in the industry, and as this industry continues to evolve, I personally couldn’t be more excited!
Deborah Sehindemi Business Analyst
studied financial mathematics at university I was predisposed to working in the financial industry. What drew me to National Grid, however, was the fact that they really valued me. They saw willingness, drive and commitment, and that’s helped ensure that I’ve never been denied the chance to progress despite not being an engineer. In fact, I’ve been surrounded by a strong and supportive network that continues to champion my development in ways I’d not expected. Today I’m a Business Analyst in our Gas Transmission business – I’m helping to develop a stakeholder-led business plan for our next price control period. I love the fact that my role is so very varied – one minute I’m working on elements of our energy transition and ensuring that our sites are set up to deliver the future needs of our stakeholders, and the next I’m helping to deliver events that enable us to capture and translate the views of our stakeholders into our business plan. During my time here, I’ve seen first-hand the opportunities that are available – to be honest, how you progress is down to what you make of them, and you’re given tremendous support along the way. Even whilst being on the graduate scheme, my responsibilities were significant, which reflects the levels of trust from management. And it’s the people that make National Grid the great company it is – colleagues come from all walks of life and work both collaboratively and with respect for each other. One great example of this is a recent festival of food which I organised – we had food stalls that represented over 20 countries with each stall providing some of the countries’ most popular dishes. The event was attended by hundreds of our colleagues but the best part was that everyone who supported the event gave freely their time and efforts to make this work – a reflection of how people here truly support diversity.
I joined National Grid in 2015 on the company’s graduate scheme. I knew very little about the company at the time – having 27 - WHM 2018
Derrick Dunkley Asset Management Development Manager
Sade Adenola GB Connections Assessment Team Manager
I joined National Grid 14 years ago and have held a variety of really interesting roles since. I’m currently Asset Management Development Manager where I lead a team of engineers who are responsible for developing policies which enhance the management of our high voltage electricity network across England and Wales.
I’ve worked at National Grid for 12 years – I joined in 2006 having graduated with a BSc in Computer Science. Twelve years on, I’m a Chartered Engineer with an MSc in Electrical Engineering – the opportunity to be supported by the company through this change in career direction has been phenominal!
For me, one of the real benefits of working at National Grid is the fact that it supports STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) which enables me to play a role in inspiring young people to take up these subjects and maybe become an engineer one day. I’m also excited by the fact that National Grid operates internationally – I’m keen to develop and further my career in my chosen field of asset management.
In my current role, I’m responsible for leading a team to identify the most economic and efficient points for our customers to connect to our high voltage electricity transmission network. This is my third role in National Grid and it’s really evident that I’m continuing to develop my skills and experience. That’s one of the things I love about working here – in addition to the fact that working here provides me with a number of career development opportunities which support my progression towards achieving my career goals.
I certainly feel trusted and respected here, and I really appreciate the opportunities to learn and develop, as well as innovate and implement ideas which will make a positive contribution to our society. It’s an exciting place to work! Plus we all look out for each other – it’s a very safe place to work and everybody trusts and relies on each other. I believe that National Grid celebrates diversity in many ways, not least via its ONE Employee Resource Group which actively encourages information sharing and networking across all employees. 28 - WHM 2018
There is much to challenge me every day, including my stretching responsibilities, and that helps me grow professionally. I know that I’m trusted to deliver and held responsible for the actions I take, and that really motivates me. I also manage my own work life balance which is really important. Right across National Grid, all employees demonstrate strong respect for each other and I believe that the company really
values diversity and the uniqueness of all colleagues. For me, this is evidenced through a number of activities I see including ONE Diverse Community, an Employee Resource Group founded in November 2007 which supports BAME (Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic) employees. ONE’s ambition is to support National Grid to be a choice employer for people from ethnic minority backgrounds, so that all levels of the business reflect the communities it serves. And I see benefits of this too, including an improved understanding of our customers, enhanced team performance, greater innovation and creativity. I love working here and I’d certainly recommend National Grid to others – it’s a great working environment with fantastic people and wonderful development opportunities.
Yasharn Smith Business Operations Support and Portfolio Planning Manager Having started my career in the Fast Moving Consumer Goods industry, I joined National Grid at the Isle of Grain LNG terminal 10 years ago as a graduate. My first role was working as a chemical engineer and since then I have held a number of other engineering, project management and commercial roles across our gas and electricity businesses.
What most attracted me to the company was the sheer scale of its operations and the opportunities to develop. That’s what keeps me here – the breadth of opportunities which enable me to develop as a leader, add value across the organisation and realise my professional ambitions. Today I am a member of the Executive Team which runs our Gas Transmission (GT) business. I head up the GT centralised business department which is responsible for providing enablement services in areas such as contracting, asset investment portfolio planning, analytics reporting and asset protection. I lead on developing and delivering the business customer and stakeholder strategy and incentive programs. I really value the broad range of professions we employ in the company – in fact this has, in part, helped in my development. What’s also helped is the mix of internal and external training activities that’s available plus other development programmes covering areas including mentoring, external industry leadership activity, supporting our graduates and apprentices plus playing a key role in helping to grow our BAME leaders. I enjoy coming in to work – I bring passion and conduct myself very openly and honestly with those whom I lead. I also live by our core values of doing the right thing every day and ensuring I’m always looking to find a better way. I go home each night with a real sense of pride and often share with my family the difference I’m making by bringing energy to life. Would I recommend National Grid as a great place to work? Absolutely! I truly believe that anyone with the right mix of skills, motivation and passion to do what’s right for customers and consumers can realise their professional goals here.
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THREE BLACK WOMEN MAKING HISTORY TODAY The HSBC UK Embrace Network Four years ago we featured an article with Fiona Daniel who made history by setting up the first employee network focused on BAME inclusion, now called the Embrace Network. Recently we caught up with Fiona, who is now Head of Diversity and Inclusion, HSBC UK. Congratulations are also in order as we have just found out that she has been shortlisted in the Head of Diversity and Inclusion category in the Inclusive Companies awards. We also got to speak with two other members of the Embrace network. When I look back at what I said last time, I am pleased to see that our diversity and inclusion focus remains just as strong and pleased to see just how much progress I have made since being in the role.
Fiona Daniel Head of Diversity & Inclusion Last time we connected you were in a global role and leading the Embrace Network, what are you doing now? I am now Head of Diversity and Inclusion, HSBC UK. It has been great to be able to go from working in global diversity and inclusion for four years driving the global agenda, to now heading up one of our priority markets of circa 50k+ employees and putting my D&I practitioner skills to the test. I thought standing on a glass bridge over the Grand Canyon was the hardest thing I did, but somebody once told me to be able to lead, influence, and implement this agenda in a country/Region is tough, they were not kidding, but for me it’s the most rewarding and challenging job I have done for some time.
You made history by establishing the Embrace Network, the first of its kind in the bank in the UK. What progress has been made with the Network since you founded it? I founded the Embrace network back in 2012 and, nearly six years later, I have watched it grow and be led and steered by equally passionate and business focused individuals with a brilliant sponsor – she is amazing. I was over the moon when I received the news that the Embrace Network has been shortlisted in the Investing in Ethnicity Awards this year in the Network of the Year category. It’s an amazing achievement and I am immensely proud to see something I started get to this point.
How important is Black History Month to you? Very. I think we are still afraid to talk about race and topics such as Black History Month, but the month provides a great opportunity
to focus on educating others on this rich history, the remarkable positive contributions made by black individuals both in the past and also right now, particularly in business and the sciences. Personally, I would rather not confine it to one month of the year. BHM is not separate but part of a bigger story and British and global history that should be told as a whole and not in part all year round.
relationships, created multicultural diverse communities, built networks, created businesses, rebuilt a post war Britain. They left families behind to make a new way of life in a country that was new to them in many ways. To be in the mother country was taken with pride and in the main for their children to have a better set of opportunities – what great shoulders to stand on.
So contributions by black individuals should be recognised?
What do you look forward to in respect of Black History Month?
Yes definitely, these are contributions that have shaped the fabric of the UK from the communities we live in to the places we work. Many people are constantly raising their head above the parapet to drive inclusion for all. There is that saying about standing on the shoulders of giants and for me that is true, because without them that have gone before, made sacrifices in the face of adversity beyond anything I could imagine, I would not be able to do what I am doing in the present.
I am looking forward to attending and speaking at some of the events the Embrace Network are organising to acknowledge BHM, taking the opportunity to have the uncomfortable conversation in a safe environment, and celebrating all that is BHM and learning new things about my history. But what I am really looking forward to is the day I no longer hear the sentence “X is the first black person to do Y”. It just tells me that we still have a way to go when we still have to call out that someone is the first to do something based on their ethnicity and race, gender, disability, sexual orientation or any aspect of difference for that matter. It shouldn’t matter but sadly it does.
You mentioned standing on the shoulders of giants - who do these shoulders belong to? It is probably a cliché to say my mum and dad but it is very true. Without them I wouldn’t be able to do the things I do and be the person I am today. I am proud of my St. Vincent and the Grenadines heritage, and my British one too. There are too many role models or giants to mention, living and dead, but I would like to acknowledge the Windrush generation. This to me is a story still often untold and misunderstood. They came to a country they were invited to be in and forged friendships,
What do you want to be remembered for? In the words of Maya Angelou, I would like to be remembered not for the things I said or the things I did but for the way I made people feel. That for me is the mantra I always have in mind, walk away knowing that somehow in some way you made a difference big or small to someone, left your mark, which they truly felt.
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anyone other than myself, I see individuals like me who make an impact and I know the potential is there for me to reach for more. How important is being involved with the Network to you?
Noemie Djossou Project and Governance manager in Retail Credit Risk Can you tell us about your role and how would you describe your role to family and friends? I am a Project and Governance manager in Retail Credit Risk. As I’m relatively new to my role, I am still figuring out the finer details but to my family and friends I say, “I spend my day organising things that are messy and putting some structure around them”. How does it feel to have made your own unique piece of history by featuring in Empower list? It feels surreal to have been featured as a Future Leader on the Empower list. More than anything, I’m overwhelmed that through what felt like tiny actions - bringing together the Graduate community with the wider business to raise BAME visibility and voices - I’ve had an impact which has been recognised, but most importantly felt by many. For me, being a Role Model means I’m motivated to do more and encourage others to join. Having my own role models has shown me that whilst I don’t need to be
Being in the network has meant meeting incredible role models in unlikely places. Through EMBRACE events I got to travel to meet peers, senior leaders and external role models, all of which have helped drive my passion both for inclusion and my own career aspirations. Until I joined HSBC UK, I had downplayed the need for role models, simply because there were not many people ‘like me’, and even less who openly shared their story, their struggles and their successes. Having access to a community of colleagues open and willing to share their journey has helped me to grow in the confidence that I can forge my own path and accomplish great things too. As a member of Embrace how important and relevant is the network? Having recently been involved in the Global and Local Graduate Inductions, I have seen the impact that hearing about the Embrace network can have. Joining HSBC UK with the understanding that we are a business that values the BAME community, along with all other aspects of their diversity, welcomes colleagues into an inclusive environment where they know their whole self is valued. For existing employees like myself, Embrace events have made a difference, knowing
that someone understands and shares my experience as a person of colour, and that together we can raise each other up. Who are your Black History role models and why? In all honesty, I’ve never identified very closely with historical role models. I am in awe of activists and campaigners like Doreen Lawrence but I find my role models a little closer to home.
Oliemata O’Donoghue Head of Region for the branch Network South of England What do you do?
Having grown up in a mixed-ethnicity household, I was brought up to understand that being different is important: to be a leader and not to follow. I didn’t really find a world where this felt right until I joined HSBC UK. After a challenging start, I found I achieved far more by being my true self, despite any insecurities that came with it.
I have spent the last 20 years in the Financial Services Industry. I have done numerous roles from frontline branch leadership, regulated roles to national optimisation. My current role is Head of Region for the branch Network in the South of England.
My role models were my peers who did the same and were unashamedly different and unashamedly themselves. They are the leaders who I see achieving brilliant things because of who they are, not despite. My fellow Empower role models, Oli O’Donoghue and Christina Liciaga really embody that for me and inspire me to continue being myself and continue achieving through any adversity.
It involves leading a fantastic team of leaders who look after a huge customer base across 160 branches, helping our customers with all their banking needs across all channels including digital - whilst delivering exceptional customer service and keeping our customer safe. I thoroughly enjoy my role as I have always been passionate about growing our colleagues through development, customer engagement and the wider societal impact we can drive in our local communities and broader. How does it feel to have made your own unique piece of history by featuring in Empower list? It still feels unreal to me to be featured as role model for driving equality and inclusion, but at the same time it is a very humbling experience to be recognised for doing what
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I love and truly believe in. I grew up seeing quite a few people as role models, especially my mum and dad and of course many people that have been a part of my career and personal journey. I was taught at a very young age that we all have a responsibility to be the change we want to see to make a wider societal impact. I am a parent of two young people and I want to make the future a better place for them. Being a role model to me means heightening all of my efforts and showing that you do not have to be a super human to make a difference. How important is being involved with the Embrace Network to you? Being part of the Embrace network was a no-brainer for me or extra hard work as I have always been part of an inclusion network from University and throughout my career. We all have a part to play in driving diversity and inclusion. We serve a diverse customer base in the UK and globally, embracing different cultures, and enabling individuals to bring their true self and personality to work helps any organisation prosper. I value fairness and equality, and being part of embrace allows me to help enforce what I am passionate about and be part of building a legacy. I have also learnt a lot by interacting with people from all works of life and culture, and not being a bystander when things feel wrong. Respect, Integrity and Courage is part of my personal values and it is deeply rooted in me.
As a sponsor of Embrace how important and relevant are networks? Employee Networks in my view are more relevant than ever, especially with the huge focus on driving inclusion across many organisation and schools. There are now wider media platforms, including digital where inclusion topics are covered daily, whether it is gender, race, LGBTQ+ and the wider debate on pay gap. The impact diversity has on any organisation profitability and market share is too big to ignore by any organisation. Who are your Black History role models and why? My background is African heritage. I am a very proud Gambian, with strong Senegalese heritage too, and I grew up admiring people that had incredible characteristics such as humanity, courage, empathy, strong work ethics, and love for family and thy neighbours and respect for society. So it is no surprise that my role models included the following: My Family, I always treasure spending time with my family, especially my Mum, Dad and siblings.  We always have a fun time when we are together and spend a lot of time encouraging and challenging each other to shatter that glass ceiling. Nelson Mandela – my all-time super hero. I learned so much about life, courage, giving, sacrifice and giving from this great man also, and most importantly forgiveness.
The Krios.com
celebrating krios worldwide The Krios Dot Com (TKDC) is a small constituted group of individuals dedicated to documenting and celebrating the history, culture and heritage of the ‘Krios’. It is a resource for scholars, historians and anyone interested in the Krios - who are the descendants of various African American, Caribbean and African exenslaved and free persons the British resettled in Africa in the modern day West African country of Sierra Leone, starting from 1787. In May 2017, TKDC partnered with the British Library and Royal African Society to put on a series of very successful Krio creative writing workshops at the library, the outcomes of which were showcased to a wide audience at Africa Writes 2017 - see Black History Month (BHM) Magazine 2017 and https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=b0fLoE7p78Y. In October 2017, TKDC put on an event as part of Southwark Council’s official BHM Programme billed ‘Educating Black Boys – 19th century, present and
future’, which through a keynote presentation by renowned historian Steve Martin, a panel discussion, photographic heritage exhibition and quiz, celebrated Southwark’s BHM 2017 theme of ‘celebrating the past and embracing the future’. A secondary objective of The Krios Dot Com is to fund-raise for and administer a ‘1787 Welfare Benevolent Fund’ which aims to provide financial help and other support to needy and distressed Sierra Leoneans aged 65 and over. Much help in Sierra Leone is often aimed at infants or
pregnant women. Life for some of the citizens who make it past 65 can be very bleak, especially for those who have no relatives overseas. In the first instance, we will be working through local NGOs such as the Sierra Leone Society for the Welfare of the Aged, which manages King George VI Memorial Home, the only care home in the country. If you would like to donate to this worthy cause, please do so via this link: https:// www.thekrios.com/fund/ For more info on The Krios Dot Com: Website: www.thekrios.com Email: info@thekrios.com The Krios Dot Com Steve Martin captivates the audience
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The ‘Krios’ Were in Town!
By Iyamide Thomas – Founder Member, Krio Descendants Union London and Researcher for The Krios Dot Com group
Well they were in Croydon actually, mainly at venues on Imperial Way! From 30 August to 2 September 2018 the Krio Descendants Union (KDU) London played first time hosts of the annual KDU Global Family Reunion weekend, showcasing the unique history and heritage of Krios.
Who are ‘Krios’? Their history began in London in 1787 with a phased resettlement by British abolitionists of various African-American, Caribbean and African exenslaved and free peoples to a ‘Province of Freedom’ in the modern day West African country of Sierra Leone. They and their descendants subsequently became known as ‘Krios’ and their settlement later named ‘Free Town’. The first group resettled from London was called ‘The Black Poor’. Subsequent groups were resettled from Canada - the ‘Nova Scotians’ or ‘Black Loyalists’, Jamaica - the ‘Maroons’, and those rescued from slave ships on the West African Coast were ‘Liberated Africans’ (for a more detailed description of each of these 36 - bHM 2018
groups please see Black History Month Magazine 2017). Krio heritage and history is thus uniquely linked to Britain and is an interesting mix of many cultures as reflected in the language, lifestyle, architecture, dress and traditions.
Iyamide Thomas and KDU- London mannequin in traditional Krio dress known as ‘Print’
The Krio Descendants Union Global body currently has chapters in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom and Sierra Leone which all aim to provide Krios with a forum for preserving, learning and promoting their history, language, culture and heritage. The KDU Global Annual Family Reunion weekend attracts people from around the world, and London was no different. Over 700 people attended the various events with at least a hundred travelling from USA, Canada and Sierra Leone. The event, billed ‘KDU London 2018’, was themed ‘Kriodom – our heritage transcending borders and boundaries’ for there are people from Nigeria, Ghana, Gambia, Congo, Jamaica etc. who
can all claim Krio ancestry. One of Croydon’s famous sons was the internationally renowned and incredibly gifted music composer Samuel Coleridge-Taylor, whose father was a Sierra Leonean Krio doctor of ‘Nova Scotian’ ancestry. KDU London 2018 could not take place in Croydon without us honouring him! Day 1 – Thursday, 30 August Things kicked off with a retreat for about 25 of the Global KDU Chapter ‘Reps’ to discuss policy and the way forward for the Global organisation. They were fed and watered too! Day 2 – Friday, 31 August Museum Trip Friday morning was a sightseeing and educational trip to the ‘London, Sugar and Slavery’ exhibition at the Museum of Docklands in Canary Wharf. Several people came to discover how the trade in enslaved Africans and sugar shaped London, the fourth biggest slaving port in the world. The West India Docks was created to handle slave plantation produce, and the building that now houses the museum was once
stacked with hog-heads of sugar that was grown, cut, grounded and boiled by some of our Krio enslaved ancestors! We also viewed a related exhibition at the museum called ‘Fighting for Empire - from Slavery to Military Service in the West India Regiments’. Founded in 1795, the West India Regiments were military units based in the Caribbean and later, West Africa, created by the British army during the war with Republican France. After the slave trade was made illegal in 1807, men liberated from
slave ships by the Royal Navy became the main source of new recruits, and Bunce Island (a key slave port in Sierra Leone) was used as a recruitment post. Some Krios have ancestors who were in the West India Regiments based in Freetown where there is a ‘Soldier Street’ and ‘Soldier Town’ for now obvious reasons! Meet & Greet Friday evening was the official ‘Meet & Greet’ (also known in Krio as ‘Ekushe en Kabo’) where members of KDU-London officially welcomed our guests (especially those from the other KDU chapters). This was a time when old school friends reconnected after decades - a night of music, a Krio drama, food and much camaraderie with each of the 13 KDU chapters dancing into the hall and being recognised.
KDU photo call in front of the Museum of Docklands 37 - WHM 2018
Day 3 – 1 September Symposium Saturday, 1st September was the busiest day starting with an early symposium at the Grand Sapphire Hotel attended by approximately 400 people. Our guest speaker was Sierra Leone’s prolific female author Mrs Lucilda Hunter who gave a most informative lecture entitled ‘Kriodom – a heritage in fact and fiction’. This was followed by a presentation on ‘Croydon’s most famous Krio Son Samuel Coleridge-Taylor’ who had lived and died in Croydon. There was also a panel discussion chaired by USA-based historian Professor Sylvia Macauley on ‘The legacy of Dr H.C. Bankole-Bright’, a Krio medical doctor and prominent politician of the 1900s. One panellist was his nephew Dr William Bright-Taylor. The symposium ended with a Town Hall meeting and very interesting, topical discussion. ‘Awujoh’ / Luncheon Sale Saturday afternoon’s ‘Awujoh/Luncheon sale’ 38 - WHM 2018
was advertised as a time to ‘indulge yourself in delectable, authentic Sierra Leonean cuisine and a dazzling display of cultural couture and artefacts’, and that was certainly delivered! There was also a rare cultural performance featuring “Eyri KDU London” - or “Hunting Debul” - a masquerade originating from the Yoruba (Nigeria) roots of the ‘Liberated African’ Krio people. Tradition has it that this masquerade should not really be photographed so no picture I’m afraid!
The Morgan modern tartan is a predominantly blue and black tartan with red. Clan Morgan was for long the title of the Mackays of the Reay country who later became Clan Aoidh, and it is possible that there were close connections between them and the Aberdeenshire Morgans.” The Krios are a mixed bunch and there are indeed some who have traced their ancestry to Scotland!
Gala Dinner and Dance The final event on Saturday (phew!) was the gala dinner dance attended by over 750 people ready to dance the night away until 2 am in the morning, many of who had attended the earlier two events! Most men were in tuxedos, women in evening gowns or traditional African eveningwear, but one KDULondon member stood out from the crowd: he wore his Scottish Kilt! As Martin Morgan says “My name is Morgan and that makes me qualified to wear the ‘Scottish Morgan tartan’.
Martin Morgan in his ‘Morgan Kilt’ (photo credit: Conrad Lewis)
Day 4 – 2nd September Christian and Muslim Thanksgiving Services On this final day there were parallel Christian and Muslim thanksgiving services, for Krios can be Christian or Muslim, all
living peacefully together in the Diaspora and Sierra Leone and sometimes intermarrying. The Christian church service at Croydon Minster had well over 500 attendees, and the array of Krio traditional ‘print’ attire was a colourful sight to behold. This included the KDU ‘Aso Ebi’, a uniform dress that is traditionally worn as an indicator of cooperation and solidarity during ceremonies and festive periods. Many women wore the unique Krio ‘Kabaslot’ which combines 19th century Victorian dress with adaptations from the Americans and Maroons. Prayers and hymns sung in the Krio language added a joyous authentic slant to the service. Then accompanied by a band and joined by the Muslim contingent, the various KDU chapters had an enjoyable march past on Croydon’s Imperial Way, heading for a picnic in the park and the final goodbye event.
Krio Muslim Group (photo credit: Wilfred Wright)
Krio women in traditional 'Kabaslot' attire (photo credit: Mabel Metzger)
‘Tenki and Tata’ Thank-you and Goodbye in Krio! This was time to ‘eat, drink and be merry’ for the last time with friends until next year’s reunion in Boston, USA. Amidst much camaraderie, the Krio ‘pan lamp’ (our very own Olympic torch!) was handed to KDU Boston, the 2019 Reunion hosts, and if their slogan ‘Na Tin Go Bi’ is anything to go by, a grand time awaits us all!
Krio Christian Group (photo credit: Sylvia Macauley)
writers is a must have for anyone interested in Krio heritage, history and culture. Order your copy now from: http://kdulondon.org.uk/ product/magazine2018/
KDU Reunion Souvenir Brochure The ‘KDU-London 2018’ souvenir brochure is a great keepsake for all. This glossy full-colour 50 page magazine with excellent articles by established 39 - WHM 2018
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CREDIT: Heard, William H. (William Henry), 1850-1937 - Internet Archive, Open Library (Book contributor: Hathi Trust), Public Domain.
These women had already had the right to vote for more than a century when this photo was taken in Sierra Leone in 1910; eight years before universal suffrage in the UK.
The
‘Forgotten First’ in women’s suffrage
By Ade Daramy
2018 has been marked by numerous events commemorating and celebrating one hundred years of women’s ‘universal’ suffrage (the right to vote in all elections) in the United Kingdom.
One could be forgiven for thinking that the 1918 Parliamentary Act, which brought about this momentous change, was the first instance women anywhere had been ‘enfranchised’, having been disenfranchised for so long. Yet what the Representation of the People Act 1918 bill, enacted on 6 February 1918, did was that it 42 - bHM 2018
enfranchised women over the age of 30 who met minimum property qualifications.
Great Britain and Northern Ireland to all women over the age of 21, granting them the vote on the same terms as men. Most of the laws preventing women from voting had, of course, been passed by allmale parliaments in the UK and elsewhere.
The law which would entitle all women to vote in the United Kingdom, The Representation of the People (Equal Franchise) Act would not be passed for another ten years (1928). Yet, the granting of the It extended the franchise in vote to women in the UK
was not a first in Europe; Finland (1907), Denmark (1915) and the Soviet Union (1917), among others all got there before the UK. Other countries to grant universal suffrage alongside the UK in 1918 included Georgia and Germany. However, one landmark that ought to be celebrated and which dwarfs all of these is hardly, if at all, mentioned. One must dig into academic tomes to discover that in 1792 (no, not a typo!), women in the ‘Province of Freedom’ (in Sierra Leone), had the right to vote. As with many instances where women had the right to vote, the initial right was not ‘universal’. Writing in Rough Crossings, Simon Schama recalls: “In the 1792 elections all heads of household could vote and one-third were ethnic African women.” Among the centenary celebrations for 1918 have been films, exhibitions, conferences etc. and yet when 1792’s bicentenary came and went (in 1992), there was not even a murmur.
Hochschild not only mentions this, he probably best captures how this remarkable occurrence has come to be viewed. Writing about how Granville Sharpe’s influence had waned in the colony he had helped to found, he states: “…some idealistic touches stayed in force. Although the administrators sent by London kept most power out of the hands of the electorate, the colony was the only place in the world where – if they were heads of households – women could vote.”
• Officials had to “employ in your service, so far as you are able, black and white men, indiscriminately, and when you discern in any way, to endeavour to call these talents into action and afford them all possible means of cultivation and encouragement.” • There was no death penalty in the colony • All children (and some adults) were in school - it was compulsory.
“the colony was the only place in the world where – if they were heads of households – women could vote.”
With these and more, it can be seen why many came to regard the Sierra Leone Colony as an ‘experiment at creating a utopian society’.
Lest one imagines this to be some sort of peculiar ‘stand-alone’ aberration, it is worth giving some context in recalling some of what now seems truly remarkable for its time, laws that operated in the colony at the time:
More likely the iniquities of slavery, that compelled them to seek a new land, may have also driven them to try and create a new, more equal world, as far removed as possible from the one they left behind.
• In court cases, at least half of every jury had to be the same race as the defendant
With that knowledge, perhaps we should not be surprised that this was, indeed, the first place in the world to ‘enfranchise’ women.
In the book ‘Bury the Chains’, writer Adam 43 - bHM 2018
Africans fight for Britain Alfred Leete’s, Your Country Needs you
By Onyeka – Narrative Eye – www.narrativeeye.org.uk
‘Out of this war [WWI] we have produced the American, or the West Indian, or the African Napoleon who will ultimately lead the 400,000,000 black people of the world to victory.’ Marcus Garvey December 1918.
Marcus Garvey’s statement made in 1917 provides an indication of how some African people viewed World War I. Marcus Garvey was the leader of the UNIA, the largest organisation of African people in the twentieth century and he felt that the war could transform the psyche of Africans into one of courage and vitality. Other African leaders such as Cyril Briggs, a communist and part of the African Blood Brotherhood, opposed the war and Africans participation in 44 - bHM 2018
it. Briggs’ opposition was based on an idea that the war was really a conflict between the ruling classes and what was needed was a Marxist revolution akin to what happened in Russia in 1917. Those Governments that took their countries to war did so to defend alliances, their strategic positions, or expand colonial interests. These reasons and others discussed in this piece obscure our perceptions, cast doubt on the words of Marcus Garvey, and suggest Africans were not active participants in the war.
The distorted image we have of World War I is reinforced when we examine who the belligerents were: Britain, France, Italy, Japan, Montenegro, Portugal, Russia, Serbia, and the USA (the allies). On the other side the central powers included Germany, Austria, Hungary and the Ottoman Empire. The way that these countries are portrayed is as if they did not have Africans as part of their populations in the earlytwentieth century.
They include the recruitment posters of the British General Lord Horatio Kitchener and John Bull pointing their finger at the viewer and saying ‘we want you’.
Howard Chandler Christy - Promotion
A cursory investigation of historical documents reveals that the most enduring images of the war support this.
Kitchener was a senior military advisor for the British war effort and his image is a carefully contrived piece of propaganda.
prominent at the time as that of Kitchener or John Bull. This is an important subject and readers may look at books by authors such as Kate Adie, Lucy Adlington, Susan Grayzel and Elisabeth Shipton for more information.
the writer Rudyard Kipling in his poem of the same name and meant that the world rested on the shoulders of white people.
These images seem to exude Anglo-superiority and exclude any idea of an African inclusion in the war. But we must remember what we are seeing are images of propaganda.
Modern readers hearing about all this may conclude that prejudice was too endemic for Africans to be soldiers. Or that Africans in World War I dug trenches, carried ammunition, buried the dead — but did not fight.
Further investigations of film footage of the war seem to only show white soldiers climbing out of mud-filled trenches, or scrambling over barbed wire, whilst being shot at by German machine guns.
The first point is that though this article is about the participation of African men in World War I, women were also an integral aspect of the war effort.
There is an underlying notion that the war was part of the ‘Whiteman’s Burden.’ This was a nineteenthcentury adage alluded to by
Many of these women were on the frontlines next to men. They were recruited as the men were. The posters seeking their recruitment were as
It was not just women from all over the world that contributed to the war, but men too. Most of the nations listed as belligerents were not the countries restricted to the European boundaries that we know today. Nations such as Britain, France, Italy, Germany, Portugal and Spain were part of empires, or controlled colonial territories. All these nations had territories in Africa, as did Turkey through the Ottoman Empire. And the USA had a resident African-American population. When these empires went to war, the sons and daughters of empire went to war as well. This is why over two million men of African descent served as part of the armed forces of both sides. These people after 1915 were specifically recruited, 45 - bHM 2018
Poster - soldier of the Royal West African Frontier
and images associated with their participation are part of historiography of the conflict.
this description is misleading and the commentary illustrates why African involvement during World War I is obscured. This is because the poster was used in World War II but depicts an African soldier from World War I. It is likely to be a stylised representation of a very famous African soldier whose name is Regimental Sergeant Major Alhaji Grunshi. He was in the Gold Coast Regiment - West African Frontier.
Above, is a recruiting poster for World War II. It is included on a website called the British Empire at War Research group. This research group includes professors and academics from prestigious institutions that claim to be experts on the wars. Alhaji Grunshi
They say about the poster this is a ‘British propaganda poster from the Second World War, part of a series depicting service personnel from the colonial empire. This one features a soldier of the Royal West African Frontier Force. The names of the colonies appear on either side.’ Unfortunately, 46 - bHM 2018
Grunshi was not merely ‘a soldier’ of World War I. He was the first British soldier to fire a shot in the war. He did this on 4 August 1914 in Togoland (West Africa). Britain had declared war on Germany that very same day at 10.45am.
Grunshi was later awarded the Military Medal in 1918 for bravery. Grunshi’s regiment was part of the British Army commanded by white British officers, many of whom were born in England. The fact that Grunshi was the first British soldier to fire a shot in the war is not commonly known. That act is usually attributed to another man, Ernest Edward Thomas. He was part of the 4th Dragoon Guards and fired his rifle on 22 August 1914, 18 days after Grunshi. Any student of history when investigating this matter will find Thomas, but only after more detailed research does Grunshi’s name appear. Thomas was perhaps a more convenient and acceptable symbol to promote Britain’s war effort. The story of Grunshi and Thomas in World War I illustrates that after all the destruction, confusion, loss of life, tragedy and despair, the need to make sense of the suffering, or even rationalise it, does not always lead to a benign appraisal.
It is not within the minds of soldiers that such matters are relevant. The relevance is for those politicians and historians who never fought, as they manipulate the interpretation of historical events to paint a pastiche for future generations. But it is also about the question of identity.
One of these people was Walter Tull. Both he and his brother served in the military. Tull fought in the first Battle of the Somme in 1916 and was killed in the second Battle of the Somme on 25 March 1918 near Favreuil, France. By then Tull had become an officer in command.
He became an officer in The British Yeomanry regiment on 27 October 1915, a full year before Tull.
There are many other people of African descent from Britain who fought in integrated British units, but the irony is that because these units were integrated they are difficult to trace.
FIGHTING FOR RIGHTS
But some of these people included David Clemetson, born in Jamaica and a student at Cambridge University.
Following the war, many organisations established in Britain petitioned against inequality and campaigned for the improvement of the lives of people of African descent.
There was also Arthur William David Roberts. He served with the King’s Own Scottish Borderers, who survived the war and wrote a diary detailing his exploits.
African contribution to the war effort provided Africans with a legitimacy through past actions for a political voice in the future.
Ernest Edward Thomas
This question of identity becomes even more interesting when we consider that living within the geographical boundaries of the British Isles, the country of France, Germany and Turkey, there were people of African descent, many of which fought for ‘their’ country in the war. Walter Tull and his brother
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BIBLIOGRAPHY Marcus Garvey speech, December 1918, in, Robert Hill, Marcus Garvey and the Universal Negro Improvement Papers, p. 332. 2 British Empire at War Research Group, https://britishempireatwar. org/ accessed 30 July, 2016. 3 For an exposition of this convenient and acceptable view see, Stephen White, ‘The British Soldier Who Fired the First Shot of World War I,’ Daily Mirror, 9 August 2014, http://www.mirror.co.uk/ news/real-life-stories/british-soldierwho-fired-first-4029651
Arthur Wardle, London Parliamentary Recruiting Committee, Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, WWI Posters, 1915.
This included people such as the physician and founder of the League of Coloured Peoples Harold Moody, John Archer and John Alcindor, presidents of the African Progress Union, and writer and activist George Padmore. People of African descent were no longer waiting for change, they were demanding it. 48 - bHM 2018
It was the contribution and sacrifice of these soldiers of African descent during World War I that helped to shape the experience, identity and purpose of African people in Britain in the 20th century. A responsibility now carried by future generations.
PICTURE CREDITS - Alfred Leete, ‘Your Country Needs You.’ London Victoria House Printing Co. Ltd, 1914. - Our Allies, Our Colonies Poster: Artist Unknown. http://www. iwm.org.uk/collections/item/ object/32642 - Howard Chandler Christy, ‘Promotion for anyone enlisting/ apply any recruiting station or postmaster,’ Historical Society of Pennsylvania, Library Company of Philadelphia, 1917 - Photograph of Ernest Edward Thomas @ https://www. warhistoryonline.com/war-articles/ ernest-edward-thomas-britishsoldier-fired-great-wars-first-shot. html - Arthur Wardle, London Parliamentary Recruiting Committee, Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, WWI Posters, 1915.
Diversity and Inclusion at Transport for London By Staynton Brown, Director of Diversity and Inclusion and innovation, as they will all bring their own ideas and talent.
Bunk beds with Mr John Richards, top right standing, 1948 ©TopFoto
As we reach the end of 2018 and reflect on the year that has gone past, I think there has been a realisation that diversity is not just a hot topic, but something that all of society needs to consider seriously. While there has been progress, we need to make sure that everybody is treated equally regardless of their gender, ethnicity or sexual orientation, appreciating the similarities that we all share, as well as celebrating the differences that make us individual. As the Director of Diversity and Inclusion at Transport
for London (TfL), it is a topic that I feel very passionate about.
There are many aspects to diversity to consider, especially as an organisation. For example, I think it’s important that in order to give our customers the best experience possible, we need to reflect the city that we serve and ensure that our workforce consists of a variety of people with a range of different experiences. Research shows that having a diverse workforce brings creativity
To put it simply, it will ensure that we have a diversity of thinking within our organisation, keeping us on our toes rather than resting on our laurels. The excitement and energy that comes from having numerous ideas will help us to make sure that we are constantly improving our network for all who use it. This is vital because, as anyone who visits, works or lives in London knows, there isn’t just one type of Londoner. It’s a city that welcomes everyone and, as such, we need to make sure that everybody’s needs are considered so that we provide the best service possible. That’s not to say the topic of diversity isn’t without its controversies – some people see it as a tick-box exercise, which is why certain days and months, such as International
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Women’s Day, can come under fire. There’s also the argument that we shouldn’t need these milestones, as equality is something that should be thought about every day rather than just at certain points in the year. I can understand why some people think this, but I believe they offer a great opportunity for reflection, allowing you to stop and think about what has been achieved and what more needs to be done. This is certainly true for Black History Month, especially as the UK celebrates the 70th anniversary of Windrush and the contribution those who came over from the West Indies have made to Britain.
there was a lack of housing because of the destruction wreaked by Second World War, which meant that accommodation for those coming over from the Caribbean was in short supply. When the authorities became aware that more than 200 migrants, who had come over to help rebuild Britain after the war, had nowhere to stay, Clapham South Tube station was used as a short-term residential base for them until they could find their own homes. While all those from the SS Empire Windrush being housed there had moved
out within four weeks, the time they spent there would have been quite unique. There were no windows to look out and it would have been noisy with the Tube trains rattling overhead while the residents were trying to sleep. London Transport Museum, which is offering visitors the opportunity to explore Clapham South and its underground passages as part of its Hidden London Tours, recently visited the subterranean shelter with John Richards, one of the 236 people from the Caribbean who lived there. It was the first time that he had been there since
It has made me think a lot about the past, as well as the future, having learnt that the history of London Transport, TfL’s predecessor, is intertwined with this anniversary and generation in a number of ways. Back in June 1948, when the SS Empire Windrush ship arrived in the UK, Clapham South hidden shelter ©London Transport Museum
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moving out to a hostel and finding work with British Rail. He discussed what it had been like, saying, “The trains that ran overhead in the morning woke me up. There were beds all around with crisp white sheets. They had a tea cart at the station… pie in the evening.” I can’t imagine what this must have been like, and the courage shown by these people, who were faced with these types of challenges while embarking on a whole new way of life in a new country, is immense. The need to adapt was something that was shown too by the people who moved to the UK from the Caribbean, keen to play their part in keeping London moving. There were a huge number of vacancies in the aftermath of the Second World War so, at the invitation of the Barbados Government, London Transport began a recruitment drive in the Caribbean in 1956, opening a recruitment office in Barbados. Records show that in the February of that year the organisation recruited 50 male conductors, 20 female
conductors and 70 station men. New recruits were loaned the fare for the trip to the UK and a designated Barbados Migrants’ Liaison service was established to help them to secure housing in London. However, they were warned that they might find the move unsettling at first, or even regret their decision, but also that they would change their minds after a few months in England. The recruitment drive was soon expanded with recruitment offices being established in Jamaica and Trinidad in 1966. This all built on the work that London Transport was already doing to recruit employees from overseas, including Ireland and Poland. It wasn’t always plain-sailing and there were challenges and early resistance, with some of the employees finding that there were barriers to promotion too. However, many of those who joined London Transport stayed for a long period of time and have inspired their own family members to work at TfL today. We continue
to value the contributions of these employees and Black History Month has made me realise that now, more than ever, it is of vital importance that we have a range of activities and programmes in place, from mentoring to our staff network groups, so that these challenges do not remain. Additional Information If you or a member of your family were part of the Windrush generation at TfL and would like to share your story, please contact their Corporate Archives on corporatearchives@tfl. gov.uk Please check on the London Transport Museum website (www.ltmuseum. co.uk/hidden-london) and sign-up to the museum e-newsletter to hear about future tours at Clapham South. Age restrictions apply: Children under 14 years of age are not permitted onto the tours due to health and safety restrictions & the tour narrative being designed for an adult audience.
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The Sickle Cell Society nears a big Milestone! By Iyamide Thomas NHS Engagement Lead, Sickle Cell Society
The UK Sickle Cell Society was founded in 1979 and yes, it means that in 2019 we will be celebrating our 40th Birthday! A lot has been achieved since the Society was set up in June 1979 by a group of patients, parents and health professionals who were all concerned about the lack of awareness, understanding and the inadequacy of treatment for people with sickle cell. 52 - bHM 2018
The Society’s mission is to enable and assist individuals with sickle cell realise their full economic and social potential. This is achieved by improving opportunities and support for sickle cell affected individuals and families by advocacy, lobbying, assisting in research and raising public awareness through education. To find out just how far we have come since those very early days, watch out for our special edition 40th anniversary newsletter to be published in 2019. For now, here are some of our key achievements in the last twelve months: • The Sickle Cell Society was one of eight winners of the 2018 GSK Impact Award - a national award that recognises charities
that are doing excellent work to improve people’s health and wellbeing. • The Sickle Cell Society has been awarded accreditation against the Investors in People Standard, demonstrating our commitment to high performance through good people management. • The Society’s Chief Executive, John James, was awarded an OBE for his services to sickle cell disorder and health as part of the Queen’s Birthday Honours. • The Society launched the 2nd edition of the Standards for the Clinical Care of Adults with Sickle Cell Disease in the UK at a reception in the Houses of Parliament.
Attendees from Croydon Sickle Cell & Thalassaemia Support Group at the Standards launch
• Our ‘Breaking Down Barriers’ project published our sickle cell ‘Did You Know?’ booklets for young people in French and Portuguese as, after English, these are the two commonest languages spoken among people with sickle cell. •Together with the AllParty Parliamentary Group for Sickle Cell and Thalassaemia, we published: How Did You Contract That?, a report into the institutional failures of Personal Independence Payment (PIP) for those living with sickle cell disease and thalassaemia. The report has resulted in extended dialogue with the government and is available here: https://www. sicklecellsociety.org/pipreport/ • The Society has been gathering feedback from patients, carers and
supporters about NHS England’s planned changes to short and long stay hospital admissions for people with Sickle Cell Disease. • We launched the Emmanuel Amuta Poetry Award – an annual poetry competition award in memory of Emmanuel Amuta who had sickle cell and passed away in September 2017 age 14. Emmanuel loved poetry and rap and performed at Society events several times. On his first anniversary, his family launched the ‘Emmanuel the 14th Foundation’ which will raise awareness of sickle cell, blood and organ donation.
Evaluation: investigating the causes of late offers of antenatal screening and prenatal diagnosis’ – attended by 65 health professionals, service users and other stakeholders to discuss the results of the two year collaboration with the NHS Sickle Cell and Thalassaemia Screening Programme (NHSSCTSP), and learning and recommendations from the project. The NHSSCTSP has now commissioned the SCS /UKTS to continue doing further work. So, as you can see, we have been very busy but not half as busy as we will be next year as we celebrate the Sickle Cell Society @40! Sign Up for Free Membership today and help us make a difference! http://sicklecellsociety.org/ become-a-member/ Website: www. sicklecellsociety.org Facebook: @SickleCellUK
• The Sickle Cell Society and UK Thalassaemia Society organised a very successful conference in Birmingham – ‘Parents’ Stories and Service
Twitter: @SickleCellUK Instagram: sicklecelluk
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Number the
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