For the first time in its history, St Deiniol’s Cathedral in Bangor will host the National Thanksgiving Service for Windrush Day, marking a significant step in Wales’ recognition of the contributions of the Windrush Generation and their descendants.
The service, to be held on Sunday, June 22nd at 3.30 pm, will feature specially chosen music and readings that reflect the legacy and impact of Caribbean and Commonwealth citizens who came to the UK to live and work, many in vital public services.
The cathedral, which is also celebrating 1,500 years since its founding, will open its doors early for those wishing to explore the historic site before the service.
This year’s event is particularly meaningful for Bangor-based Learning Links International and several local groups that have been commemorating Windrush Day for the past seven years. Their ongoing efforts include raising awareness of the Home Office scandal, first exposed in 2017, which revealed that hundreds of long-term UK residents, many from the Windrush Generation, were wrongfully detained, deported, or denied access to healthcare, housing, and employment.
Following the service, attendees are invited to Penrhyn Hall for a Jamaican buffet hosted by the North Wales Jamaica Society. The event will include a presentation from the North Wales Fire and Rescue Service, who are currently fundraising to send a reconditioned fire engine and other critical emergency equipment to Clarendon Parish, Jamaica, a mountainous region historically linked to the Pennant family’s plantations.
Organisers hope the service will become a cornerstone of national Windrush celebrations, not only honouring the past but also building bridges for future generations.
