Echoes of the Windrush

Created in partnership with acclaimed performance poet, musician and writer not to mention cultural facilitator Natalie Stewart of FLO Vortex and one half of the R&B/Neo Soul Sensation Floetry, Echoes of the Windrush invites three generations of the Windrush family to share their stories as a contemporary living, breathing poetic expression. From the pioneering spirits of the original Windrush generation, through the first-born sons and daughters who shaped British Black identity, to the second and third generations navigating heritage in a modern Britain, this 12-week initiative will weave a rich tapestry of memory, aspiration, struggle, and triumph.

Beginning Monday 15th September 2025 at Battersea Library, the project will bring together 36 participants – 12 from each generation – for a series of intimate, guided creative writing workshops. Led by an award-winning UK singer-songwriter of international acclaim, each session will offer a safe and inspiring space to reflect, remember, and transform personal experience into poetic expression.

Whether it’s the quiet courage of a new arrival in 1950s London, the defiant pride of a schoolgirl facing racism in the ’70s, or the complex search for identity in today’s multicultural Britain, Echoes of the Windrush will give voice to narratives that have shaped communities but too often gone unheard.

This project is about exploring our narratives, passing down truth in rhythm and rhyme, and allowing each generation to truly hear one another. There’s wisdom in the cadence of a grandmother’s voice, fire in a father’s frustration, and hope in a grandchild’s dream. Our aim is to create a living archive one verse at a time.

At the culmination of the project, a curated selection of the most moving and resonant pieces will be brought to life through live recital and or audio-visual presentation at a special finale evening (date in December to be confirmed), offering the wider public a profound insight into the enduring spirit of the Windrush legacy.

Spaces are limited to 36, with 12 places reserved for each generation to ensure authentic representation and intergenerational dialogue. Participation is free, thanks to the A.E.L.T. Wimbledon Foundation’s commitment to cultural equity and community storytelling.

To register your place or for further information, please visit: https://www.urbanstudiosessions.co.uk/echoes-of-the-windrush or contact [javascript protected email address]