A project led by Walsall’s only Black, female-led community organisation
Nearly forty years of sisterhood and service
Portrait of original WBSC founder members, (from left to right) Mavis Massey and Maureen Lewis), Walsall 1986
Walsall Black Sisters Collective (WBSC) was founded in 1986 by a group of young Black women determined to challenge inequality, create safe spaces, and empower families in Walsall.
Nearly forty years on, their work remains rooted in the same mission: to uplift, protect, and amplify the voices of our community.
The beating heart of the Walsall Windrush Sisters project
Original WBSC founders, (from left to right) Mavis Massey, Maureen Lewis, Jennifer Blake, Walsall 1986
It’s this legacy that makes WBSC the beating heart behind this work.
The very women who once organised against injustice are now leading the way to ensure that the untold stories of Walsall’s Windrush generation — especially the women — are finally recorded, celebrated, and remembered.
“Walsall BSC, Forty years of courage. Forty years of service. Forty years of change—and we continue to rise.
From challenging inequality to creating safe spaces, shaping local systems, and nurturing resilience, our work has strengthened women and communities, transforming lives.”
40 years of resilience, determination and compassion
The steely determination of a small group of black women, some of whom were born and raised in Walsall, saw the birth of the Collective in 1986. They advocated for their community and worked together to highlight discrimination.
The fight for a building was exactly that, and it took many meetings and requests to inherit the HQ on Wednesbury Road. The Collective grew, offering weekly clubs for the elderly, Saturday supplementary schools for children and various community-centred projects.
Portrait of original WBSC founder members, (from top left to bottom middle) Maureen Lewis, Colin Hinds, Mavis Massey, Dorothy Bursey, Claire Robertson).
Meet Mavis Massey: WBSC’s first CEO
Portrait of founder member Mavis Massey, Walsall 1986
The WBSC journey and tenacity grew with the election of the late Mavis Massey, a tireless activist and community organiser. Mavis recognised the struggles faced by African Caribbean women who made Walsall home in the 1950s–70s, everything from racism, housing barriers, and the constant need to fight for dignity.
Today, the Walsall Windrush Sisters project honours her as both a founder and a mentor to the women whose resilience shaped this borough.
Co-creation + teamwork
Meet the Heritage Team
Our team works together harmoniously, bringing different skills and parts to play. Each team member is integral, the working relationships between each heritage team member are integral to the success of this project. Synergy of teamwork.
Our heritage team brings together passion, creativity, and community vision to uncover and honour the voices of the Windrush generation. Together, we are ensuring that these stories are not only remembered but shared with pride, connection, and love.
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Maureen Lewis
Project Manager & CEO, Walsall Black Sisters Collective
Maureen provides the steady hand and community wisdom guiding the Walsall Windrush Sisters project. As CEO of the Walsall Black Sisters Collective, she leads with more than 40 years of grassroots knowledge, advocacy, and commitment to empowering Black women and families across the borough.Her deep relationships within the community helps to bridge past and present, ensuring the project stays rooted in the voices and legacy of the women who built it. With care, insight, and lived experience, Maureen keeps the project aligned with its purpose and the people it honours.
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Glenis Williams
Heritage Development Officer
Glenis brings both expertise and heart to the Walsall Windrush Sisters project.
Her work with organisations such as the Black Country Living Museum and National Trust has shaped her reputation for delivering high-quality, people-centred heritage programmes. Glenis blends project management, mentoring, and cultural insight, connecting local stories with wider national conversations.Her vision, leadership, and commitment ensure that underrepresented voices are preserved with authenticity and pride.
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Maria Brown
Community Engagement Project Assistant
Maria is the heartbeat of community connection within the project. She works directly with residents, volunteers, and grassroots organisations to ensure every story is welcomed, valued, and handled with care.Maria’s role centres on co-creation and collaboration, bringing people together to share their stories in a safe and secure environment, helping our community members feel respected and supported throughout the process.
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Lauren Holsey
Communications & Content Creator
Lauren is the project’s storyteller, designing the words, images, and digital content that brings the Walsall Windrush Sisters project to life. Her work spans a broad breadth of social media, digital campaigns, and visual storytelling, raising awareness and inviting the wider community to engage with the project.Lauren ensures every story, post, and piece of content reflects the warmth, vibrancy and legacy of the Windrush generation.
The People involved in the Project
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Errol Brown
Photography and Audio
Errol is a producer and sound recordist with a deep passion for local history and community storytelling. His work celebrates everyday people and the richness of lived experience.With years of experience across community and social projects, he brings sensitivity and craft to capturing interviews, voices, and visual moments that might otherwise be lost. Errol is also producing a series of short local history documentaries, continuing his commitment to preserving stories that matter.
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Kayleigh Hall
Visual Branding, Print and Website Development
Kayleigh leads the branding and website design for the project, shaping how the Windrush Sisters’ stories are shared with the public.Kayleigh has been delivering strategy and design to purpose-led businesses as a Company-of-One since 2014. As a visual communicator, she brings strategic design, cultural sensitivity, and a deep connection to the community. Her work ensures the project’s identity, digital home, and visual storytelling honour the women at its heart and remain accessible to the people they represent.
Meet the Steering Group
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Jennifer Blake
Jennifer is a founder member of Walsall Black Sisters Collective. Formed in 1986 Jennifer acted as Chairwoman for the first 10 years of the organisation's existence.
Jennifer is delighted to be part of Walsall Windrush Sisters Project and is committed to adding value to the Steering Group and supporting new and untold stories of the women of the Windrush generation and their contribution to Walsall.
As we approach the 40th anniversary of Walsall Black Sisters Collective, Jennifer is delighted to be a member of the Walsall Windrush Sisters Steering Group as well as making a contribution as author chronicling the founding of Walsall Black Sisters Collective.
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Angela Stephenson
Angela has been associated with the Walsall Black sister Collective for over twenty years.
Her involvement started when her children attended the after-school club and the Saturday Morning school.
She has used her talent for taking professional photography to promote and recording various WBSC functions.
Angela has a passion for helping and supporting people in the local community. The Walsall Windrush Sisters is a wonderful heritage project where Angela has supported the objectives of the assignment to record visually and orally the Windrush generation stories leaving a permanent legacy for the next generation.
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Lorna Campbell
Lorna has spent many years working with communities to make sure voices are heard and heritage is valued. From serving on boards such as Groundwork London, Black Cultural Archives, and Black Prince Trust, to founding Action for Economical Development (AED). Her focus has always been on helping people feel connected and empowered.
As a former Cabinet Member and Vice Chair of London Councils, she brought that same passion to shaping policy. Today, she continues to champion projects that celebrate cultural identity and ensure future generations can take pride in their history.
Why Walsall Black Sisters Collective leads this work
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Of the community
Founded by and for African-Caribbean women of Walsall.
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A proven legacy
Decades of advocacy, care services, and cultural empowerment.
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Trust and credibility
Elders, families, and community members know WBSC as a safe, trustworthy organisation.
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Committed to skill sharing
Training the next generation of oral historians, archivists, and heritage champions.
Looking Forward
Walsall Windrush Sisters is more than just an oral history project. It’s a powerful interaction with Windrush elders, giving them the opportunity to tell their stories in their own words.
It ensures that their stories are not erased from history, but preserved in a digital archive for their children, grandchildren, and the wider community.