Exeter students have been learning about the Windrush generation and the importance of Black History Month.
West Exe School welcomed representatives from Devon Diversity Education (DDE) earlier this month as part of their Black History Month celebrations.
This year's Black History Month theme is Reclaiming Narratives, a theme which recognises the need to correct the stories of black history and culture.
The DDE group aimed to educate students about the local Devon Windrush Group, while also boosting their knowledge and presentation skills.
The Devon Windrush Group is an organisation that seeks to foster connections between Caribbean people in the South West.
Among the guest speakers was Dave Samuels, whose father was Bristol's first black bus driver and a participant in the Bristol Bus Boycott.
The 1963 boycott arose from the Bristol Omnibus Company's refusal to employ black or Asian bus crews.
Some students also shared their links to the Windrush generation and recounted their stories with classmates later in the week.
The Windrush generation refers to those who arrived in the UK from Caribbean countries between 1948 and 1973.
The term Windrush originates from the HMT Empire Windrush ship, which brought one of the first large groups of Caribbean immigrants to the UK.
The Windrush scandal emerged in 2017, revealing that hundreds of Commonwealth citizens, many from the Windrush generation, had been wrongfully detained, deported, and denied legal rights.
Later in the month, the school hosted an art workshop in the library, led by B-HUGs, an organisation run by University of Exeter academics, and artist Jedidah Chick.
The workshop's focus was on lived experiences.
Zimbabwe-born, Devon-based artist, Jedidah Chick, shared her personal story and artistic journey with students.
Her original paintings blend African modern art with the Devon and Cornwall countryside.
Having grown up in post-colonial Zimbabwe, Jedidah's art is fuelled by her knowledge of African heritage and the untold stories of her female ancestors.
Through her artwork, she celebrates the African female figure, her struggles, and her history, often focusing on themes of Afro hair, resilience, and self-empowerment.
The workshop was part of a broader B-HUGs project, established by Dr Safi Darden and Dr Melody Kuziwa Jombe, supported by the University of Exeter.
This initiative seeks to create opportunities for engagement with black educators, enhancing representation and raising aspirations.
The project is part of a wider Race Equality initiative at the University, addressing the historical barriers faced by black students in higher education.
Julie Fossey, headteacher at West Exe School, said: "I am so grateful for the work our equality, diversity, and inclusion co-ordinator Rosie Salter has done in arranging these important visits and workshops this Black History Month.
"It’s vital that schools work to reclaim and amplify narratives that have been overlooked.
"I especially want to thank the team at Devon Diversity and Jedidah Chick for being so generous with their time and their stories, and for connecting our students to really important Black narratives and events.
"We look forward to continuing their great work here in school, to educate all young people about EDI but also to celebrate the rich diversity of our wonderful student body.
"At West Exe School, we are committed to providing our students with an understanding of history, which honours the rich and diverse contributions of black people.
"Black History Month is about more than reflecting on the past, it’s about inspiring young people to create an inclusive future."
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