More than a remembrance project
This is about justice, visibility, and belonging. By acting now, we safeguard a vital chapter of Walsall’s story and ensure that the Windrush Sisters live on in the collective memory of our town and beyond.
A legacy project, preserving stories too important to lose
The Walsall Windrush Sisters Project exists to preserve, honour, and amplify the voices of the African Caribbean women who came to Walsall during the Windrush era.
These women — now in their 70s, 80s, and 90s — built lives, families, and communities while facing hardship, resistance, and resilience. Their stories are the foundation of Walsall’s cultural identity, yet they remain almost invisible in official records.
Creating a timeless collection of our very own history for generations to come
We are committed to capturing their lived experiences before time erases them, ensuring that their courage, strength, and contributions are never forgotten.
This is a race against time: memories are fading, and too many voices have already been lost.
Image Credit: Walsall Windrush Sisters feature in the BBC News
Our mission
To document and preserve the personal histories of Walsall’s Windrush women.
To restore visibility to a generation erased from the archives.
To create a powerful legacy that future generations can learn from, celebrate, and carry forward.
Led by African Caribbean Women, shaping a shared future
Walsall Black Sisters Collective (WBSC) is perfectly placed to lead on this project as part of the very community they serve. Their deep roots, trusted relationships with elders and families, and long legacy of advocacy make them the natural stewards of this work.
As facilitators, they bring not only organisational expertise but lived understanding, ensuring that every story is handled with dignity, authenticity, and the cultural sensitivity it deserves.
The project also trains local people to become oral historians, researchers, and heritage advocates, building skills, confidence, and community ownership of Walsall’s history.
These collected stories will be preserved within a growing digital and physical archive, safeguarding this legacy for future generations.
Become an Oral Historian Volunteer
The National Lottery Heritage Fund is the largest funder for the UK’s heritage. Their vision is for heritage to be valued, cared for and sustained for everyone, now and in the future.
Heritage can be anything from the past that people value and want to pass on to future generations. From historic buildings, their industrial legacy and the natural environment, to collections, traditions, stories and more.
We believe in the power of heritage to ignite the imagination, offer joy and inspiration, and to build pride in place and connection to the past.
A project made possible with The Heritage Fund
