Wolverhampton unveils Windrush Monument honouring legacy, pride and belonging 

City of Wolverhampton Council marked National Windrush Day (Monday 22 June) with the unveiling of a new landmark Windrush Monument as a lasting tribute to the Caribbean community and its enduring contribution to the city.

The monument, created by artist Luke Perry, depicts the bow of the Windrush ship, an anchor and rising chains. It features a poem, ‘A Monument is a Testament’, by poet Casey Bailey cut into the steel. The monument also features painted imagery by artist Victoria Murrain that tell family stories of the Windrush generation.

It was unveiled in front of a packed crowed in St Patrick’s Park where it will stand as permanent recognition of city’s Windrush Generation.

The monument has been hailed by Independent Windrush Commissioner, Reverend Clive Foster MBE who said: “The Windrush generations who came to this country contributed enormously to rebuilding Britain and their story deserves to be told, recognised and remembered.

Developed collaboratively with representatives from the council, Wolverhampton Wanderers FC and a wide range of community partners, the project has been shaped from the outset by local voices and lived experience.

Community organisations including Churches 4 Positive Change, SIAN Computers CIC, Black History & Heritage, West Midlands Magazines and Black Heritage Walks Network CIC played a key role in shaping the monument’s purpose and meaning.

Public consultation carried out between December 2024 and February 2025 highlighted a clear vision for the monument. Residents wanted a space that would be highly visible and central to the city, inspire pride and reflection, acknowledge both hardship and achievement and provide a place to gather and remember.

Speaking on behalf of Wolverhampton’s Windrush Committee, Gurpri Bains said “This monument is the result of a truly collaborative journey, bringing together organisations, community partners, artists, schools and residents to create something that will stand with purpose for generations to come. It is a powerful tribute to the Windrush Generation of Wolverhampton and a reflection of our past, present and future.

The Monument has been designed to evolve over time. Names from a school poetry competition will be the first to be etched into the structure, with plans to add further names annually.

By 2048, marking 100 years since the arrival of HMT Empire Windrush, the monument aims to carry 100 names recognising individuals who have shaped the community.

The unveiling of the monument, supported by funding from City of Wolverhampton Council and Wolverhampton Wanderers, is just part of this year’s Windrush Day celebrations in the city.

A successful £23,000 bid to the Windrush Day Grant Scheme was led by Black Heritage Walks Network CIC and will be delivered in partnership with Black History and Heritage Wolverhampton.

The funding will support a programme of community engagement, storytelling and educational activity. This includes heritage walks for schoolchildren led by Black Heritage Walks Network CIC, alongside a schools’ poetry competition, with winning entries to be etched into the monument.

The monument builds on sustained heritage work in Wolverhampton in recent years, including a family genealogy programme, Wolverhampton City Archives becoming a FamilySearch affiliated library to improve access to Caribbean histories and the unveiling of the Mel Chevannes statue, now permanently housed at the Civic Centre.