THE PRINCE AND PRINCESS OF WALES WILL VISIT CARDIFF TO CELEBRATE BLACK HISTORY MONTH
Tuesday 3rd October 2023
To celebrate the 75th anniversary of the arrival of HMT Empire Windrush to the UK and mark the start of Black History Month, the Prince and Princess of Wales will visit Cardiff to meet members of the Windrush generation and celebrate the work of diverse community groups in the area.
While in the city, Their Royal Highnesses will also visit a local school to hear about the extensive range of opportunities they offer pupils in the curriculum and the work they have been doing around the Windrush generation.
Engagement 1:
The Prince and Princess will meet with members from the Windrush Cymru Elders, Black History Cymru 365 and the Ethnic Minority Youth Forum for Wales at Grange Pavilion to hear about the incredible contribution the Windrush generation has had on the Welsh community and learn about how young minority ethnic individuals are creating positive change in Wales.
Grange Pavilion is a partnership project between Grange Pavilion Project, Grangetown Community Action, Cardiff University and Cardiff Council which saw them redevelop a previously vacant bowls pavilion into a community facility. The space offers a community café, employment and training opportunities and has become a key meeting place for the Ethnic Minority Youth Forum, Windrush Cymru Elders and Black History Cymru 365 for Wales.
To commemorate the 75th anniversary of HMT Empire Windrush arriving in the UK, Their Royal Highnesses will first meet members of the Windrush Cymru Elders. The group was established in 2017 as part of Race Council Cymru and aims to promote the understanding of ethnic minority elders’ concerns and needs whilst also celebrating the contributions of the Windrush Generation and people of African descent in Wales. The Prince and Princess will hear about the lived experiences of the elders and the incredible impact the generation has had in Wales.
Following this, the Prince and Princess will meet young people involved in the Ethnic Minority Youth Forum. The forum is a youth advisory panel for Race Council Cymru and consists of young people aged 11-25 who seek to be a voice of change for young people from minority ethnic groups in Wales.
Finally, the Prince and Princess will also engage with local young people from the Somali community which forms a large portion of Grangetown. Their Royal Highnesses will spend time with members of Wales Somaliland Youth Links and Cardiff Bay Warriors FC and hear about the community projects they have been involved in – from football to youth unemployment and building friendships between the young people in Cardiff and Somaliland.
Engagement 2:
The Prince and Princess will then visit Fitzalan High School to hear from pupils about the work they have been doing around black history and learn about the vocational courses the school provides.
Fitzalan High School serves one of the most diverse and disadvantaged communities in Wales and in September 2023 they opened a new school building with a range of state-of-the-art facilities to help pupils achieve their highest potential. A number of pupils in the school are also direct relatives of the Windrush Cymru Elders and are from a variety of cultural backgrounds with 70% of pupils speaking English as a second language.
During the visit, Their Royal Highnesses will first hear from sixth form pupils working in different subject areas both in A Level and vocational studies including a range of science, technology and sports courses as well as a thriving English for Speakers of Other Language (ESOL) provision for new-to-3English pupils. Their Royal Highnesses will then be taken to the schools brand new immersion room where they will listen to a brief history lesson looking at life in Tiger Bay, a key area where the Windrush Generation lived and the importance of learning about their cultural heritage.
Following this, the Prince and Princess will meet teachers and pupils working across a number of projects at the school, including the gardening project which aims to encourage young pupils to learn how to grow plants and food from scratch.
Finally, on departure Their Royal Highnesses will see a new entrance gate that was designed in partnership with London designer Lara Sparey and pupils from the school to embody ‘What does Fitzalan Mean to Us’? with a variety of symbols and artwork to represent the school and Wales.
