ACTIVITIES marking 2022 Black History Month in Basingstoke have kicked off with two major events.

A commemorative church service and reception were organised by Basingstoke African Caribbean Catholic Association (BACCA).

The event which was held at St Bede’s Church in Popley on October 9 attracted a large number of Africans and Caribbeans in Basingstoke.

One of the highlights of the event was an exhibition of black inventors whose innovations have been fundamental to various aspects of human endeavours – including the pioneers of open-heart surgery, CCTV technology, and the world’s fastest computers.

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The exhibition also featured Black Olympians, including great boxers like Joe Joyce and Nicola Adams. There was also a showcase of West African cultural artefacts - such as ‘ahenemaa’, a special type of footwear and beads synonymous with royalty.

Attendees were treated to a buffet of African and Caribbean food as well as music from BACCA choir.

Deputy Mayor of Basingstoke and Deane Cllr David Leeks said: “The Deputy Mayoress and I were very pleased to attend the Black African Caribbean Catholic Association’s church service to mark Black History Month. We very much enjoyed meeting the congregation over a delicious lunch afterwards and would like to say thank you to everyone involved for including us in the celebrations and for making us feel so welcome.” 

The successful BACCA event was followed by another celebration led by the Basingstoke Caribbean Society and Friends (BCS&F) on October 15 at Popley Fields.

It was a well-attended and remarkable evening featuring black inventors, Jamaican proverbs, sketch performances, presentations on mental health and the shared heritage through the ages, good music, Caribbean food as well as a steel band.

The event also featured workshops for children on black history.

The highlight of Black History Month in Basingstoke is usually the Big Chat – which brings together key stakeholders including politicians, heads of public service organisations and community leaders to discuss the strategic plan on the impact and future of equity, diversity and inclusion in Basingstoke.

It was held on October 21 and was hosted by Hampshire Football Association at the Winklebury Football Complex.

The CDC Champion Award winner was also announced at the event. Initiated in 2021, the award recognises one stakeholder who has shown great leadership and accountability and evidenced the plan of making a bigger difference.

Other Black Achievers were also announced as part of the end-of-month celebrations.

Black History Month Basingstoke is coordinated annually by the Cultural Diversity Consortium (CDC), a coalition of individual ethnic minority groups who have recognised the need to work together for better and more impactful outcomes.

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The theme for this year’s celebration in Basingstoke is Impactful Communities in recognition that now is the time to pause and reflect on all the work we have done so far and to consolidate and celebrate the gains of having worked collaboratively, bridging gaps and further building on current impact.

Chair of CDC, Effie Blankson said: “The Big Chat offers us the safe space, to be honest, offer constructive critique, share best practices, celebrate our gains and consolidate our next steps. We need to arrive at a place where our actions speak a whole lot louder than it currently is. We live in 'AmazingStoke', a town capable of being the model for our United Kingdom and it is not beyond reach.”