COMMUNITY-LED groups in the North East will receive a share of £500,000 to host events marking the third national Windrush Day, Minister for Communities Lord Greenhalgh confirmed.

It builds on the success of the past two years where projects celebrating the British Caribbean community’s culture and heritage were supported by the scheme.

The National Centre for Children's Books Collection Trust will receive £15,300 this year.

This year’s projects have a particular focus on working with schools and recording the memories and testimonies of the Windrush Generation for posterity, telling their stories, and celebrating how they have shaped Britain’s heritage.

The National Centre for Children's Books Collection Trust is developing a Windrush pack for schools with digital learning resources, and public events showcasing British Caribbean writers and their contribution to children’s literature.

Communities Minister Lord Greenhalgh said: “This year’s Windrush Day will be a chance for all of us to come together, either in person or virtually, to applaud the contribution British Caribbean communities have made to all aspects of our society.

“Communities in the North East are planning for a brilliant array of events on June 22, from activities with schools to literature events.

“All of these events will commemorate and record the outstanding legacy of the Windrush Generation and inspire our children so that generations to come will remember the huge contribution they made and continue to make to this country.”

Fundraising and Development Manager at Seven Stories, the National Centre for Children's Books, Amanda Beckham said: “We’re looking forward to using our project as an opportunity to highlight the fantastic contributions of people from the Caribbean to British children’s literature.

“We’ll be focusing in particular on the work of four writers who grew up in the Caribbean but have lived and worked in Britain since the 1970s.

“An important aim of the project is to support young people of Caribbean descent to see themselves as writers of the future.

"Young people from ethnic minority backgrounds often face barriers in becoming writers, illustrators or publishers, and at Seven Stories we want to do everything we can to open the doors to vital new voices.”