Dear Friends
It is an honour to continue to serve the Caribbean community as Chair of ECA. Our reach has grown significantly this year. Following the success of the book Windrush Voices: 20 Stories of Determination and Triumph, we have made links with numerous organisations including theatres, schools and libraries in Enfield and Haringey. We have sold nearly 1000 copies of the book, with very little advertising.
Two events that we hosted last year were our Windrush Thanksgiving at the luncheon club in June 2022. Jazanne Arts led the drama performance of Cislin’s Story. We had an audience of over 70 people on a Friday afternoon. On September 16th, we hosted the Black History month event at Enfield Grammar School; with the theme – “Our Youth are the Future;” we were delighted to have amazing speakers including Arthur Barzey, TES Headteacher of the Year, Colleen Amos, co-founder and CEO of the Amos Bursary and Patrick Vernon, author of 100 Great Black Britons. We also ran workshops to empower our young people.
This has been an amazing year; there have been many positive developments. Under the new luncheon club management team of Paulette Thomas and Marva Williams our work with older people has continued to flourish. In January 2023 we were awarded the Warm Spaces funding which enabled us to offer the luncheon club services for free to our members from January 2023 to April 2023. As a result, our numbers have grown significantly to an average of 30 attendees each week. We have had regular health talks at the sessions. The My Home drama performance in the spring at Luncheon club was a collaboration between our elders and Fleecefield Primary School, led by Jazanne Arts. The weekly exercise class for our elders has also continued to thrive with 15 regular attendees
We are blessed to have an amazing team of trustees who are very talented and committed to ECA. Barbara Teape stepped down as a trustee but continues to support us as a volunteer. Kingsley Teape has also stepped down as an associate trustee. Ian Phillips has joined us as a new trustee. He brings new skills which are strengthening our team. He has taken over the management of the luncheon club and the membership. Angela Barclay has joined us, she brings her accounting skills, she is supporting our treasurer. The team of volunteers have grown and made our work in the community possible.
We are thrilled to have launched our illustrated Children’s book Windrush Wonders: Tales of Travel and Triumph, containing three stories from Windrush Voices for children aged 4 to 7 years of age. We have also produced a Windrush Teaching Resource Pack for use in secondary schools (free on the TES resource website).
We have continued to forge links with local organisations and have been working with Caribbean and African Health Network (CAHN) whose mission is to improve the health outcomes of Black Caribbean and African people and to reduce health disparities. We promoted the Caribbean and African Targeted Health Hour and support the Enfield Black Community Health Forum.
I would like to thank our trustees, associate trustees and volunteers who continue to provide valuable services to our charity and the community.
With your support we are able to continue to provide vital services to Black and global majority communities and achieve our mission, which is to eliminate racial discrimination and for an inclusive, fair, and equal community, in which people of Caribbean origin can develop their full potential as visible, positive contributors and participants in the life of the Borough of Enfield.
If you are interested in becoming a member of the ECA, or supporting us in any way, further information can be found on our website at http://www.enfieldcaribbeanassoc.org.uk/support-us or contact us at info@theeca.org.uk.
Oveta McInnis
Chair and Trustee
August 2023