SV2G

31/10/2026

SV2G representatives attended the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office Black History Month reception alongside cultural leaders, practitioners and key connectors from Buckinghamshire’s Black community. This year's theme, "Honouring Our Communities," was a meaningful opportunity to strengthen relationships and celebrate the contributions that continue to shape Black British heritage.

This year's event was hosted by Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband, with the Minister for the Caribbean, Uma Kumaran.

We extend our sincere thanks to Sam, the Black Employment Association for organising another outstanding event and for creating a space where our stories and communities are honoured with dignity and pride.

29/10/2026

28/10/2026

A beautiful service of reflection and national pride.

Yesterday, SV2G was honoured to attend the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Independence Anniversary Evensong at Westminster Abbey. It was a moving occasion, marking our nation’s 47th year of independence in a space filled with reverence, pride and community.

We extend our sincere thanks to His Excellency, the High Commissioner, for the kind invitation and for his continued support to our work and to the wider Vincentian community here in the UK. It was a privilege to join fellow nationals, dignitaries and friends in celebrating our shared heritage and the enduring legacy of St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

22/10/2026

UPDATE!

Professor Patrick Vernon has launched a £4,000 appeal to restore a memorial plaque to Caribbean prisoners of war after it disappeared from Portchester Castle in Hampshire less than a week after its unveiling.

The memorial honours approximately 2,500 Caribbean men, women and children brought to Britain as prisoners of war in 1796, more than 2,000 of whom were held at Portchester.

“This is about more than replacing a plaque. It’s about protecting our shared history and ensuring future generations know these stories,” Sir Patrick said.

All donations will support SV2G, with restoration arrangements agreed with the relevant partners. If the original plaque is recovered, funds will support its secure reinstatement and related heritage and educational work.

If you would like to donate, check link in our stories.

➡️ Read full update online.

19/10/2026

As many of you will have seen from recent press reports and television coverage, we are deeply saddened to confirm that the plaque unveiled last Friday to mark the 230th anniversary of the arrival of the Caribbean Prisoners of War has been stolen. In addition, a nearby bench was defaced with hateful, racist graffiti.

This incident is now under police investigation, and we await the outcome. We want to thank everyone who has reached out with heartfelt messages of solidarity during this distressing time.
We are grateful to the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Diplomatic Caucus in the UK for the support shown by the High Commissioners, whose presence and encouragement mean a great deal to our community.

We would also like to acknowledge and thank the many individuals and news outlets who have carried the story, appealed for witnesses, and condemned these racist actions.

We also acknowledge and thank our partners English Heritage and the University of Warwick for their continued support.

SV2G remains committed to honouring our ancestors, preserving our shared heritage, and standing firmly against all forms of hate.

Anyone with information about the plaque’s whereabouts is asked to contact Hampshire Constabulary, quoting incident number SD-25140-26-4444-IR

14/10/2026

Huge congratulations to our Chief Officer, Dr Jacqueline Roberts, FRSA, who has been chosen as one of 54 Black Britons honoured in the Honouring Black Britain 2026 campaign.

This year’s theme celebrates the everyday heroes, those who quietly uplift communities through service, creativity and care. Dr Jacqueline Roberts decades of work in High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire and beyond exemplify this spirit of service, grassroots leadership, cultural preservation, community empowerment and resilience.

Her story will be featured in the official resource pack shared with schools, workplaces, charities, trade unions and local authorities throughout October.

This evening, Dr Roberts joins fellow honourees and distinguished guests at Mr Speaker’s Black History Month Reception 2026, hosted by The Rt Hon. Sir Lindsay Hoyle MP.

We celebrate her leadership, her commitment to heritage, and her unwavering dedication to community empowerment. Congratulations, Dr Roberts 👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾

12/10/2026

A powerful historic moment of remembrance, honour, and cultural resilience took place on Friday 9th October 2026 for the 230th anniversary event of the arrival of Caribbean prisoners of war at Portchester Castle. The day also marked the exact date of the ship HMS London that was wrecked at Rapparee Cove, Devon, where many prisoners lost their lives. Thousands of these men, women, and children were captured in St Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, and Grenada creating one of the earliest archival records of Caribbean people in Britain, long before the Windrush era.

Caribbean communities across the UK, together with international guests, gathered at Portchester Castle for a ceremony and the unveiling of a new permanent plaque recognising our ancestors and our history. Standing on the very ground where they were held in 1796, we paid tribute to their courage, and their enduring legacy across the Caribbean and its diaspora.
The plaque was unveiled by His Excellency Brereton Horne, High Commissioner for St. Vincent and the Grenadines on behalf of His Excellency Anthony Severin OBE, High Commissioner of Saint Lucia and Chair of the CARICOM Diplomatic Caucus UK. Distinguished guests included the Yurumein Royal Delegation, an indigenous Garifuna group from Belize led by Queen Mother Chief Freda Paulino‑Sideroff, and diplomatic Caribbean representatives.

The event was organised by SV2G in partnership with the University of Warwick and English Heritage. It builds on more than a decade of research and forms part of a wider programme to preserve and share this important chapter of our Caribbean British history. Thank you to all who joined us in commemorating this important chapter of shared Caribbean British history.

05/10/2026

SV2G was delighted to support Pinewood Studios’ 90th anniversary celebrations last week. Thank you for choosing our young people from Wycombe Steel Orchestra to be part of your celebrations.

23/08/2026

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has marked the International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition.

Today we remember the victims of the transatlantic slave trade and reflect on its lasting consequences. From the 1791 uprising in Saint-Domingue, present-day Haiti, to the millions of Africans forced across the Atlantic.

13/08/2026

On 1 August, to commemorate Emancipation Day 2026, our CEO, Dr Jacqueline Roberts joined a panel of esteemed invited guests at the Saint Lucia High Commission hosted in partnership with the Recreators Agency.

With an impactful and catalytic panel, a thought provoking discussion was had as we explored the relevance of Emancipation Day to the Caribbean Diaspora in the UK.

The discussion challenged us to become students of our own history, and to look beyond the narratives we have inherited. It also encouraged us to understand the depth of our presence, our contribution, and to take greater ownership of the stories we share about ourselves.

One powerful reminder was that Caribbean people have been in Britain long before Windrush and our history here is much deeper.

Thank you to everyone behind the scenes making this a successful and memorable event.

Repost Saint Lucia High Commission in London

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