BBC News presenter Clive Myrie guest speaker at University of Bolton special event to celebrate achievements of the Windrush generation 75 years on

BBC News and Mastermind presenter Clive Myrie told the audience at an event at the University of Bolton to celebrate the achievements of the Windrush generation 75 years on that it was “important to remember the contribution of those pioneers”.

Clive, who was born and raised in Bolton by parents who migrated from the Caribbean during that time and who was awarded an honorary doctorate by the University last year, sent a special message via video.

He said: “I am delighted to be part of this very important event. It is so important to remember the contribution to this country of those pioneers who left the Caribbean 75 years ago to build a new life and indeed build a new Britain.

“They weren’t ready for the cold, they weren’t ready for, in many parts of the country, the industrial landscapes that they came across.

“My parents were country people from Westmoreland in south west Jamaica and for them to come to Lancashire, Bolton – and see these dark, satanic mills and the smog and the smoke and the traffic and white faces, so many of them, it was a revelation.

“Some people found it very difficult, particularly when they came across prejudice and bigotry and racism.”

Clive added: “What those pioneers did was to persevere. They worked and created a life for themselves and crucially they created a life for their children, which was partly why they made that journey and I am the product of that.

“The contribution of the Windrush generation has been immense for this country on a whole host of levels. First of all, they helped rebuild this country at the end of the war.

“They helped to create a new Britain, dynamic, musical, art, literature, culture. So many influences have been brought to bear by those pioneers who came over and they helped to create a country that I think is the envy of the world.

“They also helped to change the mindset and attitudes of a lot of the indigenous population as well and opened them up to this idea of multiculturalism and the idea that we could all be British even though we don’t look the same. I think that is critical and a wonderful contribution.”

He added: “This is such an important anniversary so I hope you all enjoy it, celebrating the contribution of these wonderful pioneers to what is modern Britain. I thank the University of Bolton and Caribbean and African Health Network for getting all this off the ground.”

The event commemorated 75 years since the first Windrush generation arrived in Britain from the Caribbean.

It  featured talks from prominent guest speakers, dance, poetry  and music performances, as well as a wide variety of stalls and employers offering training and career opportunities.

Professor George E Holmes DL, the University of Bolton’s President and Vice Chancellor, said: “I am proud to be a member of this socially inclusive University, which for almost 200 years now, has celebrated diversity and inclusion in all forms.

“My message to you today is to celebrate this historically significant event, recognise the inequalities that have occurred, and put those things right for the future.”

Sharon Germaine-Cox, Assistant Vice Chancellor/MD Group Wide Academic Support and Professional Support Services, at the University, organised the event in conjunction with Faye Bruce from CAHN (the Caribbean & African Health Network).

Sharon, whose parents started a new life in the UK as part of the Windrush generation, said the event was aimed at exploring the “past, present and future” of Windrush.

She added: “The event has been a huge success and everyone who attended seemed to have a good time, as well as learning about the tremendous contribution of that generation. We recognise that everyone can have a bright future, irrespective of their background.”

The University of Bolton has been working with the Caribbean & African Health Network on a number of initiatives with the joint purpose of eliminating the inequalities in the outcomes which arise from our healthcare and education system.

Windrush 75 explored:

- Past - the history of the Windrush generation and its contribution

- Present - How the legacy of the Windrush generation and its descendants is currently contributing to British society and the progress that has been made and what is left still to do
- Future – what the future could look like for all communities, learning from history
HMT Empire Windrush was the ship that brought some of the first post-war British and Commonwealth citizens from the Caribbean to Britain. The vessel carried 1,027 passengers and two stowaways on a voyage from Jamaica to London in 1948. Of these, more than 800 passengers gave their last country of residence as somewhere in the Caribbean.