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Windrush Day Highlights
As part of our Windrush Day celebrations in June, Bishop’s Cleeve Library hosted a vibrant community event. This celebration marked the culmination of a series of cultural workshops held across Gloucestershire libraries, engaging participants through activities like Afro-Caribbean drumming and storytelling.
The Film
We invite you again to view our specially commissioned film, which features interviews with individuals who have lived the Windrush journey, along with images from Gloucestershire Archives and footage from recent library workshops. This powerful eight-minute film has sparked heartfelt conversations and renewed appreciation for the Windrush generation. You can watch it at the end of this post.
The Book Collection
Our new Windrush book collection, supported by Near Neighbours and The Ministry of Housing & Local Government, will travel around the county in the coming months, ensuring that as many people as possible have access to resources that bring the Windrush experience to life. This October, it will be hosted at Stroud Library, offering something for every age and interest; biography, poetry, novels, picture books, and more.
Social Media Campaign: 'Step Into New Stories'
Launching on October 1st, coinciding with the start of Black History Month, our new social media campaign titled 'Step Into New Stories' invites readers to explore Black perspectives through literature.
Finding Black voices on the shelves is not always easy. With Black authors accounting for only 1.6% of the revenue earned by top-selling books in the first half of 2025 (according to The Bookseller), reading Black literature can require conscious choice and effort. However, supporting diverse voices benefits creators and the community, encourages innovation in the industry, as well as developing our understanding and appreciation for lived experiences beyond our own.
From October 1st to 31st (and beyond), we encourage readers of all ages to borrow a book by a Black author or illustrator.
This campaign, taking place on Facebook and Instagram, aims to highlight representation in literature, spark conversations, and explore the positive impacts of diverse stories. It will share interesting statistics and prompts to encourage awareness about reading choices and the voices we might be missing.
To get more involved, readers are invited to share what they’re reading on social media, tagging Gloucestershire Libraries and using the hashtag #StepIntoNewStories. Any posts we re-share will be entered into our prize draw. Children will also have the opportunity to participate by writing or drawing their reflections on response forms available in libraries.
Share what you’re reading for Black History Month, enjoy our Windrush video, and join us in honouring the vibrant stories and contributions of the Windrush generation and Black communities throughout Gloucestershire and beyond.
