Members of the Windrush Generation Head to the Great Yorkshire Show for the First Time

A group of women, some of whom are from the Windrush generation, will have an opportunity to reconnect with their farming roots when they visit the Great Yorkshire Show for the first time.

With some of the group originally coming from farming communities in the Caribbean, the women, all aged between 50 and 80-years-old, are part of the Sheffield and District African Caribbean Community Association (SADACCA) and despite having lived in Sheffield for several years, have not had the opportunity to visit the Show before.

However, thanks to the charity, Sheffield Environmental Movement (SEM) and its Projects Manager, Maxwell Ayamba, the group will make the trip to Harrogate on Tuesday, July 9 for the first day of the Show.

Maxwell said it had been a long-held ambition for the group to visit the Great Yorkshire Show and he was delighted SEM was able to make it a reality.

“The group has often talked about attending the Show and now due to a monetary award from The Moor Pride in Sheffield Community Champions, we can fulfil that ambition.

“It will be a wonderful experience which will help reconnect many of the members with their heritage. For a number of the group, moving to England detached them from their culture and rural roots, the Great Yorkshire Show is such a special event and a great way to bring back memories of their former life,” Maxwell said.

“We are all looking forward to watching the different classes and seeing the variety of livestock taking part as well as all the other really varied sections of the Show.”

The visit is all part of SEM’s work to raise awareness and help reconnect people from ethnic minorities to the countryside and rural activities.

“It is difficult for many members of the Black, Asian, Minority Ethnic and Refugee (BAMER) communities to access rural events such as the Great Yorkshire Show,” Maxwell said.

“We do run days out taking BME groups into the countryside to visit rural locations and working farms but we firmly believe visiting the Great Yorkshire Show will generate even more interest and encourage more visits to countryside events,” he added.

Maxwell said SEM was keen to develop links with environmental organisations in the region to promote what they do and also what they can offer BME communities in promoting access and participation in rural countryside events and activities. To find out more go to www.semcharity.org.uk

MEDIA OPPORTUNITY: The group will meet Longhorn Cattle Competitors in Cattle Ring 1 at 10:30am on Tuesday July 9.

The 161st Great Yorkshire Show will be held on Tuesday July 9th to Thursday July 11th 2019.

For tickets please go to: https://greatyorkshireshow.co.uk/ticket-information/

EDITOR’S NOTES

• The Great Yorkshire Show is England’s premier agricultural event, organised by the Yorkshire Agricultural Society
• The YAS supports and promotes the farming industry through health care, business, education and funding scientific research into rural affairs.
• The YAS is supported by its family of businesses including Fodder, Yorkshire Event Centre, Pavilions of Harrogate and the Harrogate Caravan Park as well as events Great Yorkshire Show, Countryside Live and Springtime Live.
• Events at the Great Yorkshire Showground contribute £47 million a year to the local economy.

CONTACT

Jo Francisco
PR Manager
Yorkshire Agricultural Society
Direct Line: 01423 546215 | Mobile: 07954 007414
Email: jof@yas.co.uk

Sophie McCandlish
Great Yorkshire Show Press Officer
PR@yas.co.uk
Direct line: 01423 546395

Sara Lamper
Great Yorkshire Show Press Officer
PR@yas.co.uk
Direct line: 01423 546395 | Mobile: 07759 795990