IT IS 77years since the HMT Empire Windrush docked in Tilbury, Essex, carrying passengers from the Caribbean to the UK.

HMT Empire Windrush became a symbol of a wider mass-migration movement. Commemoration events have been held on 22 June every year since 2018 across the country. Somerset and the south-west have a rich history and connection with people from the Caribbean.

Somerset County Cricket Club along with the Somerset Cricket Foundation in partnership with the Somerset African Caribbean network are planning a series of events during 2024-25 to remember and reawaken the legacy.

Somerset CCC will be hosting a Red Ball Carnival of Cricket event on the first day of their championship match against Nottinghamshire on Sunday, 29th June.

Following their successful attendance at last yea’rs Windrush Legacy event the Somerset African Caribbean Network will be rejoining this year as part of the Community Activation Day.

As part of the Red Ball Carnival of Cricket the following activities are planned: A VIP welcome to Lynette Richards-Lordes – who will recall her journey from Guyana 65 years ago to train as a nurse at Musgrove Park Hospital, Taunton – a legacy that connects Somerset to those invited from the Caribbean in the 1950s to help rebuild the NHS.

Lynette will recall her story in the Somerset Cricket Museum over the lunch break. It is a time to celebrate and reflect on the contribution the Windrush generation and their descendants have made to health and social care across the UK.

Also attending will be Jayne Cooper - Director of Nursing at Musgrove and her staff plus Prof Habib Naqvi (NHS) Board of Trustees SCF and SCCC Board member.

Somerset African Caribbean Network led by Susann Savidge, Jean Harper and Judith Desbonne and volunteers will have a stall celebrating culture-carnival-music and highlighting the importance of their work in the community.

Music will be played throughout the day – a special playlist provided by vintage Black music historian and DJ Dave Chapple from Bridgwater.

Judith Desbonne will perform Dub poetry which is a popular form of performance poetry that is accompanied by pre-determined Reggae music and is delivered in front of an audience.

In addition ‘ Viv poem for cricketer Sir Vivian Richards’ by Trinidadian Faustin Charles will be shared to schools and the wider community to visualise or write their own words about the legend.

A special artwork print “Ode to Windrush “by Shane D’Allessandro will be on display in the museum.

Additional activities of interest are planned later in the season. For further information contact Mustafa Shaikh, Community Activation Officer, Somerset Cricket Foundation at [email protected] or 07385 818493.

Meanwhile, Zach Vukusic, a 17-year-old all rounder who attends King’s College, Taunton, has joined the Somerset Academy.

Zach was born in Exeter and has played his way through the Devon age groups before making his First XI debut in the National Counties T20 earlier this season.

Last year, as an Under 16 year old, Zach scored a century playing for Exeter in the Devon Premier League against Bovey Tracey.

In July, 2024, Zach represented Croatia in four T20 matches and later that summer made his debut for Somerset in the Second XI Championship.

Earlier this season Zach played for Somerset in their T20 match against Devon at Exmouth, hitting an unbeaten 19 off five balls. Since then he has played three more T20 matches.