Oadby and Wigston Borough Council

HISTORY OF THE

MULTICULTURAL GROUP

MARCH 2009

ALBERT MOSLEY Production Date: MARCH 2009

Review Date:

OADBY AND WIGSTON MULTICULTURAL GROUP 1992 – 2009 CULTURAL FESTIVALS First meeting On 11th May 1992 a group called together by the then Mayor, Councillor P R Upton, and the Deputy Mayor, Councillor R D Allen, met in the Council Chamber to consider the proposal that a MultiCultural gathering be held in the Borough. This followed a MultiCultural gathering at Moat Community College in September 1991, which Councillor Jeffrey Kaufman from Oadby had attended. The main discussion was whether it should be a cultural or religious gathering and it was decided (25 to 7) that it should be a cultural event. An organising committee of 13 members was set up which met and agreed that Carol Marriage (on the staff of Beauchamp College) be appointed Chairperson, Jeffrey Kaufman Vice Chairman, Fred Olney Secretary and Albert Mosley Treasurer. Beauchamp College Festival Sunday June 6th 1993 In order that an appeal could be made for funds, a formal Constitution for Oadby and Wigston MultiCultural Festival Association was drawn up and agreed at a meeting on 12th October 1992. The purpose of the Association was “to celebrate the diversity of ethnic and cultural groups in the Borough… and to promote friendship and increased understanding between them.” Grants were received from Oadby Village Hall Trust (£500), Leicester Arts and Museums £200, and O&W Borough Council (£100). A very successful festival was held at Beauchamp College on Sunday June 6th 1993 with over 1500 people attending including:-

• 20 individuals or groups performing, compared by Herdie White and Mark Hayman of BBC Radio Leicester

• 9 Workshops (music in different cultures, calligraphy etc)

• Demonstrations of hand-painting, different kinds of dress, storytelling etc

• A debate on living in a multicultural society

• 26 Exhibitions and displays (different cultures, religions etc)

• Opportunities to speak to people all over the world (via local Radio HAMS)

• Traditional food from Poland, Asia, Africa, Malaysia, Tunisia and the Jewish community

• A minibus running every ½ hour from Beauchamp to St Thomas’ Church, South Wigston in the hope that people from that end of the Borough would also come.

There was a good report on the Festival in the Leicester Mercury. It left a balance in hand of £193. Attempt to hold a Festival at Guthlaxton The committee met in October 1993 to consider the possibility of another festival, preferably at Guthlaxton College, Wigston. in 1995. Provisional plans were made but eventually it turned out that though the previous Vice-Chairperson, Secretary and Treasurer were willing to continue, there were not sufficient other volunteers (especially from the staff of Guthlaxton College) to make it possible, and at a Special General Meeting of the Association on 24th October 1994 it was agreed that the Association be dissolved and the balance of £193 be returned to Oadby Village Hall Trust. MultiCultural 2000 A task group was appointed to arrange a Millennium Celebration at Abington High School on Sunday October 15th 2000, along the lines of the celebration at Beauchamp College in 1993, but in the end it did not succeed in doing so. £1,000 which had been granted by the Borough

Council towards the cost of a Millennium celebration was retained for future work of the MultiCultural Group. (£279.50 of this was used to pay the cost of the coach taking a group to Beth Shalom in 2007 – see below).. Navratri In 2001, 2002 very successful celebrations of Navratri at Parklands were organised and people of all faiths and cultures were invited.

MULTI-FAITH CELEBRATIONS MultiFaith Celebration October 1994 At the same time Councillor Jeffrey Morris had been made Mayor in May 1994 and had indicated that he would like a MultiFaith Celebration in place of the annual Civic Service, and he asked Jeffrey Kaufman and Albert Mosley to explore this possibility. It was suggested that each of the main religious communities should contribute a reading from their Scriptures and a prayer and perhaps a hymn or song, and there would be refreshments from the different cultures represented.. Representatives of the Christian, Hindu, Jewish, Muslim and Sikh communities were invited to a meeting at Jeffrey Kaufman’s house at which this was discussed. It was soon after Nelson Mandela had been installed as President of the Republic of South Africa and the group watched a video of this event, at which prayers had been offered by the leaders of each of the main faith groups in the country. It was agreed that a MultiFaith Celebration be held As each faith group decided on its contribution, it was circulated and checked by the rest to ensure that all were happy with what would take place. The event was held in Abington High School on October 23rd 1994. About 120 people had been invited, from the different faith/cultural groups in the Borough. It was emphasised at the beginning (and at the other festivals that followed) that those taking part did not by doing so suggest they believed all religions were equal, nor that they were like different paths up a mountain all leading to the same goal. Each participant believed that his/her own faith was the true way to worship God and to serve Him, and that in some ways people of other faiths were probably mistaken. but that each had a lot to learn from the others. It was recognised that it was in no way inter-faith worship, and most would not be able to join in the spirit of the readings and prayers of the faiths other than their own, though it might be possible for all to join together in a benediction at the end. Together with Mayors from other Boroughs and representatives of organisations, about 200 people were present. MultiFaith Celebration October 27th 1996 In the year 1996-7 Councillor Jeffrey Kaufman was the Mayor. He decided to have a Jewish Civic Service in June 1996, to which people of the different faith communities would be invited and leaders of each community would have the opportunity to show their support; and to have a MultiFaith Celebration at Parklands on October 27th, similar to the one at Abington High School in October 1994. This Celebration was called “A Celebration and Learning Experience” and about 200 attended..

Festivals of Light November 9th 1997 A similar celebration was held at Parklands on November 9th 1997, demonstrating the meanings of Diwali, Hannukah, Christmas and the significance of light in Muslim

celebrations, and this time groups of children from each faith community contributed. In planning this it was decided that the emphasis would not be on readings from the Scriptures, but on bringing people together through the mutual enjoyment of music, food and entertaining performances. Formal invitations were not given, but members of the public (and especially parents of the children) were given a general invitation to come along. About 300 came. The proceeds went to the Mayor’s Charity, the Rainbows. MultiFaith Celebration January 31st 1999 When Councillor Lesley Thornton was Mayor, she invited the Rev Lesley Matthias, curate at St Peter’s, Oadby to organise a similar Celebration. Civic Service October 19th 2003 The Civic Service when Councillor Peter Valentine was Mayor used the Anglican order of service, but it was adapted to allow representatives of the various faiths to talk about their hopes for the Borough and its residents. MultiCultural Harvest Festival September 24th 2006 When Councillor Helen Loydall was Mayor 2005-6 she arranged that the Harvest Festival at the United Reformed Church in Wigston was a MultiCultural event. Food from different countries was on display, and people of different faiths spoke about the way harvest was celebrated in their own communities. The service was followed by a buffet lunch. At each of these celebrations people were able to learn about cultures and faiths other than their own, and to meet and talk with people of other cultures whilst having refreshments. There were 200 – 300 people at each celebration., and when they were reported in the Press more people learned about them. MULTI-CULTURAL GROUP In June 1996 the Chief Executive of Oadby and Wigston Council, within the context of the Equal Opportunities Policy, proposed the formation of a multicultural group, and a meeting of representatives of different groups was held on 17th December 1996, at which Mr R S Sandhu was elected chairperson. It was suggested that the Group should consist of 6 Council Members and 8-12 people from different cultural groups (in fact the number of non-Council members has increased considerably, but normally only 8 – 12 attend).. At a subsequent meeting it was agreed that the Aims and Roles of the Group would be:

• to promote education and greater understanding of the cultural diversity of the residents of the Borough and to recognise any implications arising therefrom

• to involve people of all backgrounds in Council activities and service to ensure that these activities and services meet the needs of the whole Borough, and to promote the involvement of people from diverse cultural backgrounds in existing activities

• to provide opportunities for residents of different backgrounds to work together on projects to meet particular needs which may be recognised by the group

• to assist in the training of Council Officers and Members so that they are better equipped to recognise the needs of people from different cultural backgrounds and ensure that services are most appropriately delivered

• to positively promote intercultural understanding and to organise multicultural civic gatherings on appropriate occasions

• to investigate any implications for the Borough in terms of urban and race relations following the re-organisation of Local Government in Leicestershire

• to liaise with all appropriate agencies and bodies representing diverse cultural backgrounds and the County Council, in aiming to promote good urban and race relations in the Borough.

From the first meeting it was recognised that all three Asian communities needed to have a place in the Borough for communal meetings and prayers. At an early meeting it was agreed that a Festivals sign be erected on Oadby Parade and that, at each of the main festivals of the faiths represented in the Borough, the good wishes of the Council be expressed. A list of the festivals to be celebrated in this way was agreed. For a few particular festivals, people of all faiths would be invited to gather around the sign so that the significance of the festival could be explained, and all would then go to a convenient place for appropriate refreshments. These celebrations have continued since then. Occasionally when the dates of two festivals have been near together, the two celebrations have been held on the same evening. When the weather has been bad, the explanation has been given in Trinity Methodist Church Coffee Lounge, and the refreshments have always been served there. These events have given people of different faiths the opportunity to get to know each other better and to talk together. For the first few years these events were reported in the Leicester Mercury, often with photographs, and this demonstrated to a much wider constituency that the importance of all faiths was recognised in the Borough, and that people of different faiths were working together. On all but one Good Fridays members of the MultiCultural Group have been invited to the Churches Together in Oadby procession and service, and a few have attended most years. In December 2001 the wooden sign was replaced by an electronic sign.

Representatives of the Muslim, Hindu and Sikh communities attended an evening service in Trinity Methodist Church on July 3rd 2005 when Indian dancers from Trichinopoly Diocese took part in the service and performed afterwards. Holocaust Memorial Event In November 2000 it was agreed that there would be each year in Peace Memorial Park, Wigston a commemoration of the Jewish Holocaust and attempts at genocide in Bosnia, Rwanda, Cambodia, Dafur and other places. People have gathered in the pavilion, children have sung appropriate songs, the Jewish Kaddish has been read, members of other faiths have spoken briefly about and candles have been lit and placed on and around a sculpture specially made for the occasion. The Event has been held after sunset on the eve of the designated Memorial Day so that it would take place at the start of the Jewish day, and would not clash with the commemorations in the City centre. On Sunday July 1st 2007 the MultiCultural Group arranged for a group from the Borough to visit Beth Shalom, the Holocaust Memorial Centre near Newark, to learn more about the Jewish Holocaust and other attempts at genocide. Those who went found it a deeply moving experience. MultiCultural group meetings The MultiCultural Group has met about every two months, usually in the Council Chamber, but on a number of occasions in places of worship of different faiths (where the main teachings of those faiths have been explained). From 1997 Councillor J Kaufman and then Councillor S Morris have taken the chair. Amongst other matters the Group has considered:

• the Council’s Equal Opportunities Policy for staff and how it is being put into practice

• the provision of leaflets in languages other than English

• the availability of people able to speak Gujerati, Hindi and Bengali and who can act as interpreters

• racial harassment in the Borough, the work of the Constabulary’s South Area Community Unit and its Racist Incidents Review Panel

• facilities for Muslim and Jewish people to obtain death registration certificates at weekends so that their funerals can take place in accordance with their religious practices

• the provision of graves for Muslims in the Borough cemeteries and until this is available, help for Muslim families who have to bury their relatives in the City Council cemetery

• regulations for the maintenance of cemeteries, especially the grassing over of graves and allowing people to walk on the lawns created

• the provision of children’s books in Gujerati and Punjabi in the local libraries

• a strategy for multicultural arts in the Borough

• how the Child Protection policy would affect the way young people are provided for in projects undertaken by the Council – and the issues it raised for people of different faith communities

• the provision of Bibles in hospitals – this was being discussed in the local press, and the Group agreed unanimously that it had no objection to Bibles or any other religious books being provided

• the work of the Saharra helpline which provides counselling, support and encouragement for people who need help through languages other than English

• physical exercise and swimming sessions for Asian men and women over the age of 50

• the work of the Asian MTV

• criteria for granting planning permission for places of worship in the Borough

• the report of a Commission of Faith Communities Profile and needs for Places of Worship in the Borough

Social Gatherings In February and October 2005, and dates in 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 members of the Group organised a Social Evening to which people of different faith groups in the Borough were invited for refreshments and the opportunity to talk together. Each time 50 – 80 attended and people were encouraged to talk to those they did not know. On March 8th 2008 an East meets West evening was organised in the Entertainment Suite at Leicester Racecourse, linked with the Mayor’s Charity Appeal and in place of the Mayor’s Ball. . There was a choice of European or Indian 3-course meal. Tickets were sold, a Charity auction was held, and there was a Cabaret with Indian dancers, and a disco celebrating different musical themes. £5000 was raised and the event was reported with pictures in the Council Newsletter and in Countryside La Vie. . Concerts and One World Week Fair Manzoor Moghal and Winfield Belgrave, members of the MultiCultural Group organised a well attended Multicultural Concert at Guthlaxton College in April 2008. A similar one was arranged for February 2009. but had to be cancelled shortly before the date because of bad weather conditions.

Shabaana Kidi, the International Student at Beauchamp College, as part of Oadby Stakeholders Forum and with the help of a grant from Oadby and Wigston Borough Council, organised “Growing Together” a celebration for One World Week. There were several different stalls and two workshops including an African drumming workshop, and a Fair-Trade café. About 300 people attended. Admission charge was 50p or a tin of beans, and £300 was raised from entrances and stalls – divided between Save the Children and Children in Need, the tins of beans going to the Red Cross for food packages for asylum seekers. CONCLUSION This survey is in no way intended to suggest that the aims of the MultiCultural Group have all been achieved and that there is nothing more to be done. Through the activities of the Group an ever-increasing number of people in the Borough have had the opportunity to meet and talk with people of a different faith or culture and have had the opportunity to come to a deeper understanding of what is important to them. Personal links and networks have been formed and these have enriched the lives of all who have shared in them. The Group has been grateful for the initiatives, support and help which the Councillors and staff of the Borough Council has given over these years, without their help much less would have been achieved. The Group realises, however, that the number of people who have been touched by its activities is only a small proportion of the total population of the Borough and much more work needs to be done. From time to time there are incidents in the Borough which reveal a lack of understanding and racist attitudes which need to be challenged and overcome. Perhaps the relationship between the Group and the decision-making work of the Council needs to be reviewed. The Group looks forward to continuing its work, and perhaps this survey will in some small way help the Group to plan more effectively where future emphases need to be placed.

Albert Mosley February 2009