Cricket Arena CIC and Sheffield Caribbean Sports Club came together to mark Windrush Day on Monday 22 June, putting on a day of games, music, and food to celebrate the legacy of the Caribbean men and women who arrived in the UK and the communities they have built since.

The day saw three primary schools from across Sheffield visit — Greengate Lane, Sacred Heart and Tinsley Meadows — brought in by the Arches School Sport Partnership, to take part in a range of activities, including cricket, netball, and dancing, before a wider community event from 3pm onwards.

“Many of the schools around here didn’t know the club exists, so it’s important we use a day like this to celebrate what’s available to the community. We do a lot of work with schools on inclusion and supporting the children who need the most support — an event like this brings the community together, lets them have fun and be active, while also learning about the Windrush generation and the contributions they’ve made.” — Lauren, Arches School Sport Partnership

The idea was simple — create a day where schoolchildren, families, and Caribbean elders share one ground — hearing the Windrush story first-hand, trying cricket together, and celebrating Caribbean culture through food, music and games.

There was a warm and friendly atmosphere at the ground, and the children enjoyed taking part in all the activities and hearing from the club’s founding members.

“Days like today matter. The Windrush Generation began and carried forward the journey that led to this sports club. As someone from that generation, I see today not only as a celebration of our significant contributions to society, but also as a moment for us all to come together as one community.” — Des Smith, Chair, Sheffield Caribbean Sports Club

The Windrush Legacy Garden was also a centrepiece of the day. Tucked behind the football pitches, it was built by club volunteers on a patch of neglected land, working with the Sheffield and Rotherham Wildlife Trust and supported by Sheffield’s North Local Area Committee. It now holds a Windrush Trail marking the stops made by HMT Empire Windrush, banana trees and a wildlife pond, alongside boards telling the story of the Windrush generation.

The garden has become something special for everyone at the club — recently awarded a Move More Award, and shortlisted for the King’s Award and the Lord Mayor’s Award. It was opened by Councillor Safiya Saeed, Sheffield’s first Black woman Lord Mayor, and visited in May by Dr Marie Tidball, MP for Penistone and Stocksbridge, who planted a magnolia tree there. On Windrush Day itself it drew a steady stream of visitors, including the current Lord Mayor of Sheffield, Councillor Andrew Sangar, who launched the garden’s new Windrush Legacy Garden calendar.

Food was also a big feature of the day, with everyone enjoying what was being cooked by Nicole Villaroel and Lychawn Lawes in the kitchen. They said the food had taken three months of planning and drew on dishes from Caribbean islands including Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, Montserrat, and Barbados.

A key aim of the day was for the children who attended to stay connected with the club — and that continues into the summer holidays, when Milton Samuels, the club’s cricket manager, will lead players from the club into the Junior Hundred, a six-team cricket competition for ages 12 to 15, run by Cricket Arena. Sides from local clubs, mosques and community groups will take part, with many of the young people playing competitive cricket for the first time. It builds to a finals day and awards ceremony on Monday 27 July.

The day was supported by the Windrush Day Grant Scheme — funded by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government and delivered through Near Neighbours.