Western Daily Press (Saturday)
‘Windrush can inspire diverse food industry’
WILFRED EmmanuelJones – aka The Black Farmer – has spoken about the importance of celebrating the Windrush generation’s contributions to society.
This week, Windrush Day on June 22 marked the anniversary of the arrival of hundreds of people from Caribbean countries aboard the MV Empire Windrush at Tilbury Docks in June 1948.
Known as the “Windrush generation”, they and those who arrived after them came to help rebuild post-war Britain, including taking up vital jobs within the NHS. Yet many of those who answered the call faced discrimination, deportation and a denial of their rights, and the first national Windrush Day only took place as recently as 2019.
Now Wilfred, who lives at Lifton in Devon and stood unsuccessfully for the Conservatives in Chippenham in the 2010 general election, has launched a new initiative to celebrate Windrush heroes, inspire future generations and to put diversity at the top of the food industry agenda.
His campaign aims to challenge the under-representation of black people and people of colour in senior roles within the industry.
He hopes to bring greater attention to the success stories of the many Windrush heroes who have played an integral role in Britain’s success since the mid-20th century.
Wilfred was awarded an MBE in 2020 for services to farming and also had a successful career in BBC television. He said: “As Britain’s only black farmer, I have witnessed first-hand the woeful lack of ethnic diversity in the food industry. I have been dealing with the major retailers for years and, without exception, their HQ management teams are almost exclusively white. That needs to change, as it is at odds with their customer base and shop-floor staff, who are hugely diverse.
“My mission is to use my own success to champion greater diversity and representation within the sector through initiatives such as our Black History Month campaign and our Windrush Celebration.
“As a child of the Windrush generation, I feel it is really important to celebrate Windrush Day to not only reflect on the achievements and contributions made by that generation for the greater good of Britain but to help inspire future generations on what can be achieved.”
Born in Jamaica, Wilfred came to the UK in the early 1960s to join his parents who had already moved here to “seek better opportunities”.
He recalled his experiences of that time: “We [Wilfred and his sister]didn’t arrive on the Windrush but arrived by plane. To this day, I still remember the shock of arriving in the middle of winter to a strange country and because of the time we spent apart to come and live with strange people – who I was told were my parents.
“Back then, my only reference point of familiarity was the Jamaican foods that my mother cooked, which were a reminder of home. As the eldest boy, my father gave me the responsibility to help him on the family allotment – an essential contributor to eke out our daily meals.
“We grew to be a family of nine children, so food was not plentiful. The allotment was my escape – to a bit of space in the outdoors. It is there that I nurtured my dream to one day own a piece of land in this new country that I could call my own. That was the
I nurtured my dream to one day own a piece of land in this new country WILFRED EMMANUEL-JONES
beginning of a long but very focused journey to achieve my goal.
“I finally bought my small farm on the Devon/Cornwall border when I was 40, and from there was inspired to launch The Black Farmer brand – a name coined by my neighbours who were unused to having a man of colour in their midst!
“Now in my mid-60s, I am proud to be a British Jamaican. People often wonder why, from such a small island, extraordinary people arise and make a great impact on the world. Think of Bob Marley, Usain Bolt and many more. Well, we Jamaicans know the secret. It is down to the food we eat and love.”