Newcastle marked the 75th anniversary of Windrush during refugee week with a family fun day, parade and a message of solidarity to migrant communities.
"Say it loud, say it clear, refugees are welcome here" rang out around Newcastle this afternoon as the parade made its way from Charlotte Square to Monument in the centre of Newcastle. Organised by the North of England Refugee Service, a rally was also held at Monument where speakers took to the microphone, including those with lived experiences of the asylum system, and political figures such as MP Chi Onwurah and North of Tyne Mayor Jamie Driscoll.
Windrush is named after the HMT Empire Windrush, the first boat which brought migrants from the Caribbean. As the Caribbean was part of the British commonwealth, those who arrived were automatically British subjects who were free to live and work in the UK permanently.
