To celebrate Black History Month we speak to volunteer and co-founder of Southport African Caribbean Heritage Association about volunteering, discovering her heritage and their current Windrush exhibition at the Atkinson.

Video transcription

I’m Gemma Collins, I’m a co-founder of community group called Southport African and Caribbean Heritage Association (SACHA). I work voluntarily and the organisation’s been running since January 2022.

I really wanted to understand more about my heritage. My dad’s from Barbados, so this year, over Black History month, SACHA have been exploring Windrush and Windrush generations, but also those who arrived on different ships and modes of transport. 1948 to 1971 was the focus for our exhibition and it was about capturing those first generations of people, but also their descendants and their children.

So, for that we did oral interviews, where we spoke to everyone and asked them about their experiences. We got their photography, so we’ve got some beautiful portraits and you can listen to all their view points and there’s a video compilation of a few of the poignant points of those conversations that are put onto a video that are displayed in the exhibition as well. You will also see me as well on the exhibition!  So, its really for Black History Month but also every day of the year. We want to explore our heritage, but for this particular month in October it highlights across the Country, Black History Month and we want to show the focus on our community, our Story and keep it very local to Southport and Liverpool and to showcase that.