The Sheffield Caribbean Sports and Wellbeing Club hosted a memorable Windrush Day 2023 festival event at the club’s ground recently.
The special occasion brought together young people from Hartley Brook School in Sheffield – which is part of the ACE programme – a partnership between YCCC, the Sheffield Caribbean and African Caribbean Engagement (ACE) – to celebrate an exciting day filled with cricket activities, delicious Caribbean cuisine, lively music, and valuable educational experiences, on Thursday, 22 June.
The Windrush Day event, organised by the Yorkshire Cricket Foundation – the official charity arm of The Yorkshire County Cricket Club (YCCC) – in partnership with the Sheffield Caribbean and Cricket Arena, provided a fantastic opportunity for the young participants to engage with their peers and take part in a round-robin softball tournament.
Read more: How Yorkshire Cricket is celebrating Windrush Day 2023
Alongside the cricket matches, an interactive workshop was also organized to educate the attendees about the significance of the Windrush Generation.
Many young participants found this workshop to be eye-opening, as they gained knowledge about an important historical event through enjoyable activities like traditional Caribbean games, puzzles, and an educational quiz.
Notably, some parents actively joined their children in the warm-up drills, displaying unity and enthusiasm that left a lasting impression on all attendees.
To conclude the event, the Caribbean Sports Club treated all participants and parents to a mouth-watering spread of authentic Caribbean food. The menu featured delectable dishes such as fried chicken with rice and peas, fry dumplings, refreshing fruit punch, and sumptuous desserts, adding to the festive atmosphere.
The menu featured delectable dishes such as fried chicken with rice and peas, and fried dumplings.
As a token of appreciation for their participation, all attendees received a Windrush memento trophy, symbolizing their involvement in the day’s activities. The presentation of these trophies further solidified the cherished memories created during the event. Witnessing the coming together of young people and the local community to celebrate and honour their shared culture, with cricket as the main attraction, was truly heartwarming.
Andre Jackson, the ACE Cricket Development Officer for the Yorkshire Cricket Foundation, said: “It was a beautiful day, seeing the children from Hartley Brook Primary School enjoy cricket and embrace the historic culture of Caribbean Windrush Day.
“A massive thank you to everyone who contributed to the event’s success.”
Milton Samuels, the Caribbean Cricket Manager, also shared his thoughts, adding: “The day was all about having fun, and the parents who attended learned about the club and its community involvement.
“With a great turnout of over 200 people, the children thoroughly enjoyed the cricket competition, and receiving a Windrush memento trophy is something they will cherish for a lifetime.”
The Windrush Day event not only provided a platform for cricket and cultural celebrations but also delivered a valuable educational experience, fostering understanding and appreciation of the significance of the Windrush Generation.
This memorable day left a positive impact on the participants, their families, and the local community, creating lasting memories that will be cherished by all who attended.
To support Windrush Day 2023 the Yorkshire Cricket Board – which oversees the recreational game and supports more than 800 grassroots clubs and schools playing the game every week in the summer, equating to more than 125,000 recreational players – alongside a number of other organisations, also held a special celebration event at Park Avenue Bradford Cricket Ground, led by Active Bradford.
The ‘Windrush 75 – Not Out’ free celebration included a cricket and domino festival and a fun day of friendly matches between seniors and junior matches as well as sports coaching for youth players.
