Migration: The Windrush

Generation

(Group 4)
Windrush day
Andrea Álvarez, Diego Barrera, Paula Gutiérrez, Carlota Mayol and
Samuel Robles
 What is
Table of contents: Windrush
day ?
 Why do we
Table of contents: honor
Windrush day?
 How did Windrush
day become
Table of contents: officially
recognized
 Plaques and
Table of contents: acknowledgement
 History or
Table of contents: testimony
 What is Windrush day ?

• Created since 2018.

• It is celebrated on June 22.
• Public holiday that´s observed in the UK.
• Commemorates the arrival of Afro-Caribbean immigrants
to Great Britain.
• Honors the British Caribbean community.
• June 22, 1948
• Terrible losses during Word War II
• Workers for their industries
• Patrick Vernon 2013
• Politicians give speeches to the Windrush generation and
their contributions to the UK
 Why do we honor Windrush day?

•Windrush day highlights the legacy of the Windrush

Generation to British society
•This Generation laid foundations for the Black British
society
•Purpose:
--> Encourage communities across the country to
celebrate the contributions and thank all those involved
for rebuilding the society
•Most common sectors for Windrush workers were
--> production of steel, coal, iron and food, public
transport, staffing the National Health Service (NHS),
Hospitality, Nannies
•Migrants were overqualified for the jobs they could
get --> restricted to the considered undesirable jobs
•Opportunity to thank and reflect on the difficulties
faced by this Generation (past and present)
How did Windrush day become
officially recognized ?

Patrick Vernon was the first to call for the

commemoration of Windrush Day to recognise the
contribution of the Windrush Generation to UK society
on the day when the first big group of post-war
migrants arrived – 22 June.
Vernon launched a petition for this in 2013, which was
followed by a campaign in 2018 (at the height of the
Windrush Scandal).
Official backing was given when the Government
announced that ‘Windrush Day’ would be celebrated on
22 June each year, supported by a grant to recognise
and honour the contribution of the Windrush
Generation and their descendants and to keep their
legacy alive and celebrate the diversity of Britain's
history.
 Plaques and
acknowledgement

•Paulette arrived to the UK from Jamaica in 1968​​
•Arrived as citizen of British Empire (British Nationality Act
 1948)​​
•Granted indefinite leave to remain in 1971​​
•2012 immigration laws changed​​
•In 2015 she received a notification ​​
•They denied her the  right to work and social help​​
•Case followed by the media ​​
•Activist in 2018 ​​
•Plaque next to Wolverhampton Heritage center in 2021​​
•Symbol for the fight of Windrush campaigners​
​
 History or testimony
INTOLERANCE AND THE WINDRUSH SCANDAL

• The Windrush immigrants to the UK were faced with intolerance from some of the British
population. Although encouraged to settle and take up employment in the UK, many were
denied access to this due to the colour of their skin.

• In April 2018, the Windrush Scandal broke when many of the Windrush Generation had
been told by the Government that they were in the country illegally due to a lack of official
paperwork.
• The Windrush Generation found themselves on the wrong side of immigration legislation
because they couldn’t provide the paperwork to prove they had the right to stay in the UK
• Either because they’d never been given this or because the Government had destroyed their
own copies of paperwork. Suddenly the onus was on individuals to ‘prove’ their right to stay.
• Many people were wrongly detained, deported and denied legal rights while they struggled
to provide the information required by the Government
• The Windrush scandal resulted in the Government apologizing for the deportation threats.