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‘I came from a little shed on a tiny island and ended up in Buckingham Palace’: Torfaen pupils hear two women share their Windrush stories

Children at a Torfaen primary school met two women today who arrived in Wales as part of the Windrush generation.

a school hall of pupils sat on the floor listening to a speaker
Pupils used the session to ask lots of questions about Windrush

Vernesta Cyril OBE and Linette Haines MBE spoke to children at Cwmffrwdoer Primary School about their life and answered questions. Last Thursday (22 June) was the 75th anniversary of the HMT Empire Windrush arriving in England with 492 passengers. They and others who arrived in the UK from Caribbean countries between 1948 and 1971 are known as the Windrush generation.

Pupils packed into the school hall and heard about their careers and contribution to life in the UK which has led to them both receiving honours at Buckingham Palace.

a school hall of pupils sat on the floor listening to a speaker
Linette Haines MBE sharing her Windrush story with pupils

Linette Haines MBE

Linette, from Newport, said: “It doesn’t matter where you come from, where you live, you can be anything you want to be if you try really hard. That’s what the Windrush generation did. They came here to give us the chance of a really exciting life. We were able to have a really good life and do all these exciting things. You can do it too. I came from a little shed on a tiny island and ended up in Buckingham Palace.” 

She was born in “little shed” on Saint Kitts. Her parents sailed to England to work. “They saved up their money and sent for me on a plane. I was six. My mum and dad gave me a big coat as I came from a hot sunny place to Wales.” After school, she joined the British Army and told the children: “ I learned how to shoot, how to sleep outside. I went to Northern Ireland and Cyprus and about 16 other different places.”

She left the army to become a civil servant and spent eight years working at the British Embassy in Washington. In 2016 she was awarded an MBE for Services to Defence:  “I went to Buckingham Palace, and Prince William gave me my medal. I’ve brought it for you to see if you want.”

a school hall of pupils sat on the floor listening to a speaker
Pupils clap and thank Vernesta for her talk

Vernesta Cyril OBE

Vernesta, from Newport, said: “It’s nice to see so many young, enthusiastic people. I come from a little island called Saint Lucia. Wales reminded me of Saint Lucia as it’s quite mountainous.

“I left St Lucia (in 1962) and travelled on a big ship. They needed help to rebuild the country after World War II. So they came down to these islands to invite people to work and rebuild Great Britain. Nurses, carpenters, teachers, you name it. Those who had a trade and those who didn’t.

“I left home on that big ship. I didn’t know anyone. I was asked to look after two other children because their mum and were over here, I was a teenager. It took us 25 days.” On arrival in Wales she saw terraced houses and chimneys for the first time in her life.

A pupil asked her what she felt like during the long journey. She replied: “I felt sad but at the same time I was excited. It was a mixture of being sad, leaving family behind, as well as excitement.”

On arrival in the UK, she joined the nursing profession and became a midwife, delivering hundreds of babies during a career that spanned over 30-years. In 2006 was won UK Midwife of the Year. She founded the South East Wales Racial Equality Council (SEWREC) and in 1999 was awarded the OBE for services within the community by the Queen.

Earlier this month Vernesta was presented with the Pride of Britain Award by Sir Trevor McDonald for her contributions to the NHS in Wales. She told the pupils that he then unveiled a plaque in her honour at the Royal Gwent Hospital.

two women from the windrush generation sat with two men before giving a talk in a school
(l to r) Linette Haines MBE, Sean Wharton, Kristian Wharton and Vernesta Cyril OBE

Kristian Wharton, the deputy headteacher, said: “We are very lucky to have these guests in our school today.  They built this legacy from a different country to where they were born. Two fantastic stories and it’s about celebrating these people, to build Britain after World War II.

two women from the windrush generation at a school
Linette Haines MBE and Vernesta Cyril OBE outside Cwmffrwdoer Primary School
three books about the windrush generation on a table
Some of the books being ready by pupils at Cwmffrwdoer Primary School

Windrush Cyrmu exhibition

The Windrush Cyrmu exhibition is currently at three locations in Torfaen. Click here to find out more.

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Posted inNews

‘I came from a little shed on a tiny island and ended up in Buckingham Palace’: Torfaen pupils hear two women share their Windrush stories

a school hall of pupils sat on the floor listening to a speaker
Pupils clap and thank Vernesta for her talk