Saturday school teaching black history

Precious Graham started a Saturday school teaching black history to children

Most children probably would not fancy going to school at the weekend, but a Saturday school teaching black history had nearly 100 young people sign up.

Culture Community in Peterborough was born out of lockdown four years ago by mum of five, and primary school teacher, Precious Graham.

She saw a need for children from ethnic minorities to learn about their traditions, history and culture in a fun way, so they could appreciate and be proud of their heritage.

The group, which meets every other Saturday morning, has been nominated as Community Club of the Year in the BBC Radio Cambridgeshire Make a Difference Awards.

The children learn about influential leaders and also get time to play in the garden

Ms Graham said after lockdown, when children had been separated from their friends, she realised not enough was being done to make education empowering to ethnic minorities.

"One day I just decided to do it [set up a club]," she added.

"Everyone deserves to know their history. I love seeing children flourish. I have five children of my own from two years up to 19 years."

"We teach them about positive black history, not just slavery. We tell them about the Windrush generation, about Rosa Parks, Mansa Musa, Martin Luther King and other influential leaders."

She continued: "I wasn't expecting it to be this big. Parents tell me their children wake up for it on a Saturday and most children don't do that, especially after a week of going to school."

Ricardo has been coming to Culture Community Saturday School since lockdown.

The Saturday school, which meets at the Honey Hill Child and Family Centre, brought together children who might not ordinarily meet so they could connect with other young people like them.

Ricardo, 13, has been coming to the school for four years. His mother's side hails from Barbados and Jamaica and his father's side is from Portugal and Congo.

"We're from all over the place," he said.

"I like to get more deeper into it and learn about where I'm from. It's something we need to know about, like where our grandparents were born and where they struggled from."

Mums Natalie Watson, Dandan Christie and Rachael Christie, who have dropped off their children

The children take part in arts and crafts, board games, football, and cooking.

They learn about foods in different countries, about black leaders and inventors and about different African tribes and music.

Parent Dandan Christie said the school gave them all a sense of pride.

"We used to learn about slavery, but coming here makes us a little more liberated," she said.

"We discover that we were first to invent this or the first to do that, so let's celebrate it."

Another parent Rachael Christie said: "I home-schooled six children through lockdown and I loved it, but they needed this Saturday school to start socialising again with other children," she said.

Mum of four, Leah Christie, said learning about black history was vital

The school has 97 children registered aged between 8-16.

It has half a dozen volunteers, and the school also provided a support network for parents.

Leah Christie's family hail from the West Indies and she has four children who attended the school.

"It's been a lovely experience coming here, and learning about black history is vital," she said.

"The whole black lives matter thing opened up my children's eyes. When they are at school they may be the only black child in the class, but here there are lots of other kids exactly like them."

For a list of all the finalists in each of the categories click here.

Mums and children enjoying the Saturday school garden