This Research Resource will help families, teachers, and students to learn more about the Windrush generation, particularly the experiences of Caribbean elders who settled in Hackney, London in the 1950s. The resource includes four pages of individual oral history accounts of Caribbean elders. Suitable for age code: 11+Subjects: Social History, Citizenship, Drama, and Media Studies. Black parents at home can use the resource to help educate their children further about their heritage, giving them a better sense of identity and belonging. Parents from diverse communities can use it to find similar values and shared experiences. This resource is firmly rooted in the tradition of oral storytelling. Teachers can use it in the classroom to support drama studies and create unique stage performances. In 2008 Tuareg Production produced a series of workshops in Hackney, interviewing some of Hackney’s Caribbean elders from islands including Jamaica, Barbados, St Lucia, Dominica, and Trinidad. The workshops were held at the Marie Lloyd Day Centre, William Morris Caribbean Centre, Hackney Museum, and the Hackney Caribbean Elderly Organisation. The elders reminisced and shared experiences from as early as 1954 when they first settled in the area. Their recollections and memories form the basis for the adaption of the Living Under One Roof stage play, set in Hackney by Lorna Holder. Hackney Museum, in 2008 did an exhibition, Living Under One Roof, Windrush, and Beyond, which covered all aspects of life for the first generation of Caribbean migrant workers. Finally, the Living Under One Roof – Windrush and Beyond education resource pack for primary schools in Hackney, launched at a prestigious event at the House of Lords hosted by prominent peers Baroness Amos and Baroness Howells, produced by The Hackney Learning Trust and Lorna Holder.

Video- 15 minutes long. A Lesson starter for age 16+ in subjects: Drama, English and Citizenship. Based on research into the oral histories of Britain’s Filipino community at the Centre of Filipinos in London in 2006. About families separated by continents, and their stories forming the basis for truthful, high-quality dramas, which genuinely celebrate diversity. Teachers can create unique learning activities to explore the many issues raise in the video. The majority of the workshop participants were women, which is an accurate reflection of the make-up of the community. Filipino economic migration to Europe coincided with a demand for domestic workers. There were stories of wives and mothers leaving their families behind and becoming breadwinners for their extended families. ‘Departure Lounge,’ a dramatic monologue written and produced by Lorna Holder. Nena, a woman in her forties, sits nervously, waiting for the boarding announcement in the departure lounge at the airport. Now returning to the Philippines after 25 years working in the U.K, Nena has to make a final decision; should she return to the Philippines, to the husband she hardly knows and son whose childhood she missed? Or should she remain working for the family who employ her and the ‘adopted’ English children she has raised? The video has a supporting e-book The Ones We Left Behind available on Tes.

Oral history transcripts spanning three generations of women of Jamaican and British heritage. Rooted in the tradition of oral storytelling, this learning resource encourages teachers to craft unique activities, lesson plans, and comprehension questions. It empowers students to explore their cultural identity and prompts independent research. Tailored for Key Stage 3, Year 9 students, this resource supports subjects like History, English, Geography, Citizenship, Media Studies, and Drama. Ideal for both classroom use and homeschooling, these interviews, conducted by Oral Historian Sharon Rappaport, offer profound insights. Parents can use this resource to educate their children about their heritage, fostering a stronger sense of identity and belonging. Diverse communities can find shared values and experiences within these narratives. These oral interviews are part of the Jamaican Hidden Histories project (2012-2015), produced by Lorna Holder for Full Spectrum Productions. Supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund, this project aims to unearth and communicate information about Jamaica’s distinctive cultural identity and its links with Britain. The Cultural Re-Awakening Conference in 2013 marked the project’s inception, featuring diverse workshops, talks, discussions, storytelling, and oral history interviews. The nine-page interview transcripts, accompanied by powerful images, provide a comprehensive learning tool. These images include the Jamaica Hidden Histories banner, capturing the historical context, a photograph of female drummers at the event’s opening, and the conference flyer. Uncover the stories that shape identity and belonging, fostering a deeper understanding of cultural heritage. Explore the captivating narratives captured in the Hanging Out trailer, also produced by Lorna Holder, available on Tes."