Last Thursday, 22 June, was the 75th anniversary of the arrival of the HMT Empire Windrush at Tilbury Docks.
It is an incredibly important anniversary for my constituency of Dulwich & West Norwood which includes Coldharbour Lane where many of the passengers who had found temporary accommodation in the Clapham South Deep Shelter went to the Labour Exchange to find work, Somerleyton Road where many found homes to rent and Windrush Square which was named for the 50th anniversary.
In commemorating the arrival of the Windrush, we also remember people from the Caribbean, Africa and the wider Commonwealth who came both before and afterwards and the immeasurable contribution they have made to our economy, culture, communities and public services.
We cannot commemorate Windrush Day without also remembering the racism and injustice so many of the Windrush pioneers and their descendants have faced, and continue to face.
We have had a wonderful few days of events in my constituency and it was also a real privilege to host an event for constituents with connections to the Windrush story in Parliament.
But as we commemorate we also remember and commit to the work that must still be done to ensure justice for the victims of the Home Office scandal which denied so many Windrush generation pioneers and their descendants their identity as British citizens.
Thank you to everyone who made these brilliant events happen!
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