Opening our Black History Month Celebration on 28 October, The Revd Eileen Rose spoke of her Jamaican Maroon heritage, and throughout the day people had the opportunity to hear the real life experiences of black pioneers within our own community, from the harsh realities of apartheid, and to their struggles and achievements in the UK. There was poetry, crafts, music and song, food, dance and chat, with opportunities to learn and share. The keynote talk by Aletha Saunders highlighted the enormous impacts that the black people have made on every area of life: remembering those who have gone before, celebrating how far we have come, but honouring those who continue the struggle against injustice today which is still far from over.

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