Unity at heart of city's Black History Month event

Bernadetta Omondi (centre) said postponing the event from Saturday, to Sunday, was a difficult decision

A city centre will come alive this Sunday with the vibrant sounds of African beats and flavours of the Caribbean, as the community marks Black History Month.

Hundreds of people are expected to attend the celebration in Peterborough's Cathedral Square, which will feature dozens of stalls offering diverse food, arts and crafts, alongside live entertainment.

Organisers hope the event will help "celebrate each other and unite a divided community".

Volunteer Bernadetta Omondi, who has helped run the event since it began in 2013, described it as "an opportunity to showcase black heritage while also celebrating Peterborough's multiculturalism".

Music and dance groups will be performing at the event, as they did last year

The event was originally scheduled to take place on Saturday but had to be postposed due to a strong wind warnings.

Ms Omondi said it was a "difficult decision" to postpone the event, and that some people including the mayor could no longer come.

"But everyone's safety comes first and we are grateful that Peterborough City Council has given us the [Cathedral] square on Sunday instead."

'Celebrate diversity'

Ms Omondi, who works as a teacher in the city, highlighted the importance of cultural events to "help communities engage better".

"Our main aim is to promote cultural confidence and help people engage with us," she explained.

"It is not just about the black community. Take the Diwali festival, the Italian festival - it is all about showcasing each other's culture.

"It just shows how vibrant and multicultural a city we have in Peterborough and how we celebrate our diversity.

"We believe that being inclusive will help us engage better.

"Our country is divided right now but through these events, it is uniting us and bringing divided communities together."

The free event will run until the evening and is being supported by Peterborough Positive - a group representing businesses and organisations - and the city council.