Candlelight vigil for BHM 2022
In recognition of Black History and Global Diversity Awareness Month, on Wednesday 12 October organisations from across the Norfolk and Waveney healthcare system came together to shine a light on racial inequality and celebrate the growing cultural diversity in our Norfolk community. This exclusive event was attended by colleagues from across the ICS including NNUH and the James Paget Hospital, as well as representatives from Norfolk and Norwich Black History Month, The Bridge Plus+ Limited, Healthwatch Norfolk, Unison and the Lord Mayor of Norwich.
The organiser of this event, NCH&C EDI Advisor Mercy Kaggwa, opened the evening with a heartfelt speech, encouraging us all to reflect on what actions we can do to support our Norfolk community, in collaboration with people of diverse heritage to stamp out hatred from across our community.
Throughout the evening we heard from a number of inspiring speakers, including Non-Exec Director at NCH&C Njoki Yaxley, Co-Chair of NNUH Together Staff Network Eka Ekaette, Stephen Collman, CEO of NCH&C, Marie Lyse Numuhoza MBE of HealthWatch Norfolk and Michael Gyapong of Norfolk and Norwich Black History Month.
We enjoyed engaging poetry from Vandana Khurana of James Paget University Hospital and uplifting and emotive saxophone music from NCH&C Community Staff Nurse Moses Tinuoye.
The evening culminated in a powerful candlelight vigil and 2-minute silence – shining a light on racial inequality.
Mercy said of the evening – “The aim of this event was to bring together leaders from across the community and in particular the Norfolk and Waveney Integrated Care System (ICS) and other influential Norfolk businesses in support of a growingly diverse and inclusive Norfolk. Nature has made Norfolk beautiful but how can we as a community make it more so? It's our collective responsibility to do so! Let’s make racism an open and ongoing conversation and not just a topic for 31 days of the year.”
This event will be added to the annual calendar of events for Black History Month moving forward.
Click here to watch a short video of the event.