Over food, conversation, creativity and carnival culture, colleagues and local community members came together at The Reed Centre in London on Friday 23 October to celebrate Black History Month and this year’s theme, Honouring Our Communities.
Organised by Abri’s Uplift Black Staff Network and Community Investment team, the event created opportunities for people to connect, learn from one another and celebrate the cultures, traditions and experiences that help make communities stronger. It also marked the first time Uplift had opened one of its events to customers and the wider community.
Bringing people together
In the café, attendees enjoyed traditional Caribbean dishes, including stewed chicken and curried goat, alongside music and refreshments. The relaxed, sociable setting encouraged conversations and gave people the chance to meet others from across the local community.
For Niamh Salisbury, Community and Development Officer at Abri, these connections were at the heart of the event.
“Community cohesion is a really big part of our work. Through this event, we wanted to recognise Black History Month and take the opportunity to work with Uplift to bring our colleagues and communities together.
“It’s important for us to make the most of opportunities like this to bring people together around a theme. Events like today allow our colleagues and communities to connect through shared identity, culture, interests, and a willingness to learn.”
Creating opportunities for people to connect is an important part of Abri’s community investment work, helping to build relationships, encourage understanding and strengthen a sense of belonging in the places people call home.
Celebrating culture, history and creativity
The event also celebrated the history and creativity behind Notting Hill Carnival through an exhibition by Symone Williams, who helps organise Carnival and supports a range of community initiatives and charities.
Her Genesis: Art of Mas display featured traditional Carnival headpieces, information about the celebration and a copy of the recently installed plaque at Westbourne Park station honouring the pioneers who organised the first Notting Hill Carnival.
Attendees could also watch Symone’s documentary exploring her family’s experiences of Carnival and its significance within their community.
Reflecting on the event, Symone said:
“What I’ve learned today is that many women here have a connection to carnival and the community, but don’t necessarily get to see how things like mas bands and costume bands are developed. I think sharing my experience helps give them a better understanding of that process.
“Our community is very diverse, and I feel that this event reflects that. People have the opportunity to meet others and experience something new, whether that’s the hair-braiding upstairs, the documentary or the exhibition. It gives everyone a chance to connect and learn something new.”
Upstairs, Nurture Academy delivered creative workshops, including hair-braiding and art activities. These hands-on sessions gave attendees another way to explore cultural traditions, share experiences and try something new.
Honouring our diverse communities
Opening the event to customers and local residents was an important step in bringing this year’s Black History Month theme to life, creating a space where people could see their experiences reflected and discover what they have in common with others.
Janice Stanislas, Health, Safety, Environment & Wellbeing Systems & Insights Lead at Abri and Chair of Uplift, said:
“This year’s Black History Month theme is ‘Honouring our Communities’. In recognition of this, we’ve opened our event up to the wider community for the first time, bringing together both colleagues and community members.
“An event like this can show our customers and communities that there are people here who share a lot in common with them. It helps them recognise that there’s a person behind the voice at the other end of the phone. London is a very diverse area, and our colleagues reflect that diversity, so it’s great for them to be represented here.”
This Black History Month celebration was a reminder of the value of coming together: sharing stories, recognising cultural heritage and creating welcoming spaces where everyone has the opportunity to feel connected and belong.
Inclusion and belonging at Abri
At Abri, we believe inclusion and belonging are fundamental to strong communities. Through our community investment work, we aim to create opportunities for people to connect, celebrate what makes their communities unique and build relationships that last beyond individual events.
You can learn more about our commitment to Inclusion and Belonging by reading our 2025/26 Inclusion and Belonging report.