16 June 2026
Monday 22 June is National Windrush Day, marking the arrival of HMT Empire Windrush at Tilbury in our diocese in 1948. The ship carried Caribbean passengers invited to help rebuild the UK after the Second World War.
Despite their vital contributions, many faced discrimination, and some were wrongly deported or denied rights due to missing documentation - a failure later known as the Windrush Scandal.
The Windrush Compensation Scheme (WCS) was established to address these harms, but challenges remain, including low awareness, limited trust, delays, and a complex process.
Kemi Ademola, Branch Leader of Leyton Emmanuel Mothers’ Union, has spent the past two years working with the WCS to raise awareness across East London and support eligible individuals. Her work focuses on outreach, training, and helping people navigate both status and compensation processes.
Kemi first heard about the scheme through her work at the Department for Work and Pensions as it was known Kemi was actively involved in her local church and other community initiatives across Waltham Forest, including being the leader of the Emmanuel Parish Mothers’ Union. Kemi explains:
“Since launching a Black History Month programme in 2017, I have used this platform to promote dialogue and highlight issues affecting our community.”
Working with the Windrush Stakeholder Engagement Team, Kemi has delivered presentations at Black History Month events, creating safe, welcoming spaces for people to share experiences, ask questions, and receive guidance.
The impact has been significant, with individuals and families receiving compensation, and many encountering positive, firsthand accounts of successful claims for the first time.
Further partnership has trained ten volunteer facilitators from Emmanuel Parish and neighbouring East London parishes, supporting applications and building trust through lived experience. Kemi’s dedication has been recognised with an OBE in the King’s New Year Honours List, presented at Windsor Castle in April by HRH The Princess Royal.
This article is taken from the latest edition of We Pray.
