2020 LAUNCH
Theme: Black History Matters
The John Hansard Gallery Southampton hosted the live stream event.
Our keynote speaker was ex Birmingham City Football player Richie Moran.
GUEST SPEAKERS
Savinder Bhamra: Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Manager at Radian
Woodrow Kernohan: John Hansard Gallery representative
Olivia Pinkney: Chief Constable Hampshire Constabulary
Nona McDuff: Province Chancellor, Students & Teaching, Southampton Solent University
Performance by Isla Croll
AWARD WINNERS
Angela Chicken
Angela has been a long-time campaigner for equal rights for minority groups in Southampton and a wonderful supporter of Black History Month over many years. She has been active on black issues and at the forefront of the debate for Black Lives Matter. She says ‘I want to be part of the solution and not part of the problem’. As far as BHMS is concerned, in our book, she has achieved that.
Jean Holmes-Morris
Jean arrived from Jamaica in 1962 and spent 38 years nursing in the NHS in various roles and became the Head of the School of Nursing in Winchester later in her career. In Basingstoke, she’s known as the go-to person for the Basingstoke Caribbean Society and Friends, whether it’s as vice chair of the society, or organising parties and christenings, she has always been at the heart of the community. Her very good friend, and former award winner Grace Powell states that Jean ‘is left and right hand of everything we do’. On behalf of the Basingstoke Caribbean society and friends, congratulations Jean.
Sonia Forbes
Sonia and her family have been at the heart of Southampton for many years. Many know her for her performances with the Harbour Lights steel band which has been founded by the Forbes family that has graced the city with its music for over 50 years. However, many others will know her for her work within the community through her business SM Forbes Funeral Directors in St. Mary’s. She has always gone above and beyond to care for people in the community at some of their most difficult times. As Sonia says, ‘I feel it is a privilege for me when families allow me into their homes and lives in order to help them through difficult and often traumatic times’ and so for that, we at Black History Month South would like to say thank you, and congratulations Sonia.
Veronica Gordon
Veronica has definitely made her mark in the city. She has always been at the forefront of magnifying Black voices in Southampton, with her work on unity 101, numerous roles in the community, and now with her social enterprise called Our Version Media and it’s focus on empowering black communities to tell their own stories in their own way.
