Spirit of Windrush
On Friday 22 June our BAME (black, Asian and minority ethnic) network steering group hosted a day of events at the Phoenix Centre in London.
Colleagues also celebrated the first official Windrush Day on the 70th anniversary of MV Empire Windrush arriving at Tilbury Docks.
One of the original Empire Windrush passengers was a former Royal Mail employee of 34 years, the late Sam King MBE who was a pioneer in getting recognition for the achievements and legacy of the Windrush generation through the establishment of the Windrush Foundation in 1995. Sam became the first black mayor of Southwark in 1983.
What is Windrush Day about?
Seventy years ago on 22 June 1948, the Empire Windrush landed at Tilbury Docks in Essex. The arrival of 492 passengers from the Caribbean marked a seminal moment in Britain’s history, and has come to stand for the rich diversity of this nation.
The Windrush Generation made a huge contribution to rebuilding the country following the war and their settlement and their descendants have continued to enrich social, economic, political and religious life.
Windrush Foundation Director Arthur Torrington said: ‘The announcement of a national Windrush Day is a moment of great satisfaction. It will cement in the national consciousness the important contribution of those who travelled from the Caribbean to Britain 70 years ago to build a better life and participate in making Britain a stronger nation.
‘Their legacy has lived on in their children and grandchildren and the communities they have built across the country. For years to come, Windrush Day will bring people together to celebrate this vital part of our shared history and heritage.’
BAME mentoring scheme
IT director for channels and customer experience and BAME chair Dharmini Chauhan, said: ‘Our event was designed to both celebrate the pilot group’s achievements and encourage others to register to become both mentors and mentees.
‘After hearing from our mentors and mentees about their experiences we were joined by Patricia Chinyoka from Business in the Community, Ian Jones, business transformation director, and Sue Whalley CEO UK Post & Parcels UK.
‘We then had a wonderful lunch prepared by volunteers from Mount Pleasant with a variety of dishes from the Carribbean, India and the Far East. We were also serenaded by our newly formed BAME “boyband” from Greenford mail centre on traditional musical instruments - Nnamdi Maduka and Jaspal Singh played the conga and tabla drums respectively, and we also heard Ketan Kerai on the handpan.
‘The afternoon focused on getting feedback from BAME colleagues on what their priorities and suggestions were for the BAME network to progress. One example was a request for more communication about the BAME and other diversity networks into the frontline.’
Supporting BAME colleagues
Making our business a place where black, Asian and minority ethnic colleagues can achieve their potential remains a priority. Career progression is a key focus as we work towards improving the representation of colleagues from BAME backgrounds across all levels of the business.
To contact the BAME steering group, please email bame@royalmail.com.
