Laura Serrant felt honoured over Windrush statue poem

A woman whose poem was chosen to appear on a new statue to commemorate the Windrush generation has described it as an "absolute honour".

Prof Laura Serrant, who is originally from Nottingham, said: "It's something I never even dreamed of."

The monument, at London's Waterloo Station, celebrates thousands of people who arrived in the UK from Caribbean countries between 1948 and 1971.

It depicts a family with suitcases and was revealed to mark Windrush Day.

Prof Serrant was asked to submit her poem for consideration

Prof Serrant, who is employed by Health Education England as regional head of nursing for Yorkshire and the North East, said she had been asked to forward her poem for consideration by the committee behind the monument by Baroness Floella Benjamin.

"I agreed, she submitted it and it was accepted," she said.

"It was an absolute honour."

The government gave £1m to fund the statue, which was designed by Basil Watson.

The poem pays tribute to the Windrush generation

Prof Serrant added: "The national Windrush monument commemorates the bravery of men, women and children from the Caribbean who came in 1948 to help rebuild Britain.

"They came from sunny climes to Britain and they felt they were doing their duty.

"At the time, the Caribbean was part of the British Empire and people felt they were as British as the people who lived here.

"Over 70 years later, we see a national monument recognising their contribution to the nation.

"For me, [I felt] the responsibility to commemorate that generation, who obviously included my own parents, and reflect their contribution and uphold the honour of their fortitude."