Ensemble Manchester

28/09/2026

Ensemble Generations Drumming Together Join us for free African drumming workshops with storytelling and singing! Every Monday, 4:30–6:30 pm at 342 Oldham Road M40 7NS The workshops will lead to a performance on 31 October as part of a Black History Month event organised by Ceebee Gold Foundation at Manchester Settlement. To join, call 07424 941770.

The University of Manchester, Manchester Art Gallery, Arts Council England, The National Lottery Community Fund

05/09/2026

The Impact of the Ensemble Holiday Café: From Learning to Youth Leadership
The Ensemble Holiday Café this summer offered an excellent opportunity to reinforce an important message to our young people:
“We have educated and supported you as you have grown. Now that you are becoming young adults, it is your time to use your skills, serve your community and begin standing on your own.”
Throughout the summer, our young people developed practical skills, explored their Cameroonian heritage and learned about teamwork, responsibility and enterprise.
They are now taking the next step; from participating in intergenerational activities to leading their own initiative. On Sunday 30 August, they were able to successfully run a community stand during the 2:zero Manchester Kermesse at Manchester Communication Academy, where they put their skills into practice and generate income to support their charitable and community goals.
This is the lasting impact of the Ensemble Holiday Café: helping young people move from learning to leadership, from receiving support to serving others, and from ideas to sustainable action.
Our heartfelt thanks to The National Lottery Heritage Fund, Manchester Art Gallery, Young Manchester, and everyone who continues to support Ensemble Manchester in delivering Connecting to Our Cameroonian Roots and beyond.

05/09/2026

Growing, Cooking and Eating Together Across Generations

As the cost of living continues to affect families, Ensemble Manchester wants to empower young people of Cameroonian heritage and residents of Miles Platting to access affordable, healthy and culturally appropriate food.

Building on the legacy of our French Supplementary School, our ambition is to establish a multicultural, intergenerational community enterprise inspired by the special relationship between grandparents and grandchildren.

Older and younger people from different ethnic backgrounds will come together to:

🥕 Use the local social supermarket and learn how to prepare affordable meals
🌱 Grow vegetables, herbs and culturally familiar foods in community gardens
🍲 Cook, eat and exchange recipes from different cultures
👵🏿 Share knowledge, traditions and life experiences across generations
👩🏿‍🍳 Develop confidence, practical skills, volunteering opportunities and pathways into employment
🤝 Reduce loneliness while strengthening relationships between local communities

These photographs capture our vision: young people choosing fresh produce, generations learning together in the garden, and cultural knowledge being passed on through food preparation.

We want to create a welcoming local centre where food becomes a bridge between generations, cultures and communities—and where everyone has something valuable to teach and something new to learn.

Together, we can grow food, share knowledge and build a stronger Miles Platting community.

05/09/2026

Young people were introduced to their local social market where they can access Fresh ingredients at affordable prices

05/09/2026

Connecting Cameroonian Heritage with Our Local Roots in Miles Platting Youth empowerment is about more than helping young people understand their Cameroonian identity and origin. It is also about supporting them to connect with the communities in which they were born, are growing up and are building their futures. Our young people attended the Miles Platting Community and Age Friendly Network Annual General Meeting, where they learned about local developments, met residents and community organisers, and discovered how people are working together to improve the area. They participated in intergenerational conversations, shared information about their work with Ensemble Manchester and enjoyed activities and a community meal. Most importantly, they felt welcomed, valued and well integrated. This experience reflects the continuing settlement journey of the Cameroonian community in Miles Platting. True integration means more than living in an area-it means understanding it, participating in it and contributing

03/09/2026

Ensemble Manchester Secures 2nd part of National Lottery Heritage Fund Grant to Preserve Cameroonian Heritage
Manchester, UK – Ensemble Manchester has been awarded The National Lottery Heritage Fund to deliver Connecting to Our Cameroonian Roots, an exciting community project that will preserve and celebrate Cameroonian heritage for future generations.
The project is bringing together elders and young people from Greater Manchester to share stories, traditions, art, food, language, music, literature, and cultural practices, ensuring the rich heritage of Cameroon's first-generation migrants is not lost. Open to everyone, the programme also promotes cultural understanding and stronger community connections.
A series of generations together coffee morning will take place from Saturday 12th September (10:00AM to 12:00pm), at Ensemble Manchester, 342 Oldham Road, Miles Platting. Participants are invited to come along for free refreshment and the opportunity to socialise and find out more about the project .
Founded in 2008, Ensemble Manchester (Charity No. 1165797) has long championed Cameroonian heritage through education and community engagement. Sustainability is central to the project, with a focus on reusing, borrowing, and upcycling materials throughout its activities.
Ernest Nghogeh, Chief Executive of Ensemble Manchester, said:
"This funding enables us to preserve our Cameroonian heritage and ensure it continues to inspire future generations. We are grateful to The National Lottery Heritage Fund, Sported, and National Lottery players for making this important project possible."
For more information or to get involved, visit www.ensemblemanchester.org.uk, email [email protected], or call 07424 941770.

Our project aim to prepare young people to adulthood through partcicipation , engagement and Mentoring. A Mimique of African rituals of passage to adulthood for adolescents.

23/05/2026

🇨🇲 Connecting to Our Cameroonian Roots 🇨🇲 Our young people are actively preparing for the Roots to Unity Exhibition. A special event celebrating The Cameroonian culture, heritage, identity, and community togetherness. Join us on Saturdays 1-5Pm for inspiring sessions on creativity, culture, learning, and connection as young people showcase their work and explore the richness of our roots through art, textiles, history, and shared traditions. 📅 Date of exhibition : Saturday 30th May 2026 ⏰ Time: 10:00am – 2:00pm 📍 Hosted by Manchester Art Galery & Ensemble Manchester . Everyone is welcome to attend and support the young people taking part in this meaningful cultural exhibition. 📞 For more information: 07424 941770

13/04/2026

Connecting to Our Cameroonian Roots 🌱

“They say the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.”If our parents and grandparents were farmers, then they have passed on an inheritance worth rediscovering.

Last Saturday, we took the first step on that journey planting sweetcorn and Follon together as a community.
This is more than just growing food; it is about reconnecting with our roots, our traditions, and the knowledge passed down through generations.

From soil to harvest, we will follow this journey together—learning, sharing, and celebrating the values of resilience, unity, and cultural heritage that define us.

Join us as we continue to nurture not just crops, but identity, belonging, and community.

🌽 to join sessions to come give us a call on 07424941770

14/03/2026

https://ensemblemanchester.org.uk/migration-and-settlement-trajectories-of-cameroonians-in-england-in-the-1960s-and-contemporary-genealogical-challenges/

This article explores the migration of Cameroonians to England in the 1960s, a pivotal period marked by African independences and post-colonial dynamics. It aims to analyze the motivations and settlement conditions of this first wave of migrants, highlighting the journeys of the elders of this gener...

29/12/2025

This year, Ensemble Manchester engaged young people under the age of 24 and adults over 60 in intergenerational activities focused on exploring Cameroonian cultural identity and collecting oral history interviews. These interviews will be used to develop resources to support the school curriculum, produce digital cultural content, and build archives to preserve the cultural heritage of the Cameroonian diaspora in Greater Manchester.

What was delivered
• regular workshops focused on art, cooking and vegetable growing
• music and sustainable fashion activities
• educational sessions in French linked to Cameroonian cultures
• partnerships with supplementary schools and local cultural organisations
• practical sessions at Manchester Art Gallery
• active involvement of parents and young people
• production of cultural and educational content shared online

These activities strengthened youth participation, learning continuity and connections between generations.

Plans for next year
• consolidation of existing programmes
• expansion of artistic and cultural activities
• development of structured educational tools
• improved communication and visibility
• launch of new digital resources
• stronger community partnerships

You can follow the progress of the project and take part in the next stages. Ensemble Manchester continues its work with a clear direction and measurable actions.