Beginning to accord a rightful place to those men and women of the Windrush Generation. You look beautiful. How are you . It is, i believe, crucially important that we should truly see and hear these pioneers who stepped off the Empire Windrush at Tilbury Injune 1948, only a few months before i was born. And those who followed over the decades to recognise and celebrate the immeasurable difference that they, their children and their grandchildren have made to this country. Many served with distinction in the British Armed forces during the second world war, just as their fathers and grandfathers had in the first world war. Once in britain, they worked hard, offering their skills to rebuild a country during peacetime and seeking opportunities to forge a Better Future for themselves and their families. When they arrived on our shores with little more than what they were able to carry with them, few could hardly have imagined then how they and those that followed them would make such a profound and permanent contribution to british life. Obviously wearing gloves to protect my fancy nails from the paint. I had a degree of ambition that drove me. I felt also that i could achieve more here. I was born on 26th of january, 1933, which meant that 26th january this year, im 90 years of age. Ill start off by sectioning off the different parts of the canvas. Using acrylics, acrylic paints, spray bottle. I use these large brushes. I believe theyre like painting brushes for like, homes, but theyre really thick and they hold a lot of water and colour. Hello. How are you . That you would recognise because that is a picture of the caribbean scene. I think its a negril. 0k. That is in jamaica. Usually when im approaching the painting, i try to find the connection between myself and the sitter. So miss linda is from jamaica, but shes had her hand in a lot of different countries, a lot of different spaces and communities. So she says she classifies herself as a caribbean woman, but with african roots and like this worldly impact. When she was actually saying that, we were actually looking at a painting by an african artist. This is a picture representing an african village. I guess the colours and that as well have inspired the colors ive chosen for this piece. These are some of my earliest memories of my childhood, and this is actually my first british passport. Really . My mother, she, in fact, saved to ensure that i had the opportunities that she didnt have, because in those days, girls were more inclined to be married and, you know, to be home based. This is when i was appointed the first woman of colour to the independent police commission. And this was my first day at the office. I was appointed by the Home Secretary at the time, who was kenneth clarke. I was responsible for a number of Police Forces throughout the kingdom. Wow. You look like youre ready for business as well in this in this picture. Yes. Some of the largest forces in the country. I oversee the Police Discipline within the legislation. Being the first black woman in this role, how do you feel maybe your experiences growing up influenced the way you approached . That is important. My experience of growing up in what i would describe as a humble home, but a home that gave me great sense of purpose, grounded in character, discipline, respect and more important, my christian beliefs came from my early upbringing. Why is this photograph so important to you . Because it in perhaps a small way, helped to break down the barriers, cultural barriers, to set an example for others to follow. And i have to say, whatjamaica gave me, which was a strong sense of identity of who i am. So you can be british and you can be caribbean or you can be jamaican. And i am very proud of both. I guess as an artist, when i first see this photo, because my practice is, you know, uplifting the the black female experience, you know, trying to bring light to our stories and our accomplishments and seeing understanding the background of this image and then seeing how proud you are and understanding youre your background and upbringing. I think this is like the perfect image to work from to represent you. Somebody said that youre the first black professor in scotland. And i found it very surprising because ive never seen myself in that way. I wasnt made a professor because i was black. I was made a professor because i started my research in 1964 and this was i980 odd. I cant remember the date. And therefore i felt id achieved something which i probably deserved. You know, Ithink A Portrait at its best is a likeness. But i think when you can reveal something about the inner life of a person and and how the portrait is rendered, i think thats when something more interesting occurs. So im really hopeful that im able to to get a bit more of his interior life. Sir geoff, how are you . What a pleasure to meet you. Its nice meeting you, too. I did a degree in honours botany. I had no idea what i was going to do with the honours degree. No idea. I went back to london to my mum and i went to the Labour Exchange and i stood in the queue and i went up and i said to the guy, im looking for a job. And he said, well, what can you do . And i said, ive got a degree. And he turned to his friend and he said, hey, johnny says, this guys got a temperature. Degree temperature. And he was making fun of the fact that it was a black guy in the Labor Exchange at Seven Sisters road who said he got a degree. He didnt believe it. And one may think, oh, that was racist. A couple of days ago somebody said, who are you . And i said, on your list youll see its professor sir geoff palmer. And she said, is he the person youre looking for . And that was last week. My own father is someone who i think experienced success despite great odds. I know at some point sir geoff palmer was a Potato Peeler with even after he finished university. And a lot of that is evidence of the Structural Racism that he was working against. And i think with figures like him, we see their accomplishments and they hide a lot of the scars. And i think for me, im interested in where the discomfort lies and what he might be keeping beneath the surface and how we can bring that into a richer understanding of who he is. So my parents are from ghana. Oh, yeah. And so fathers are not expected to raise their children. The women raise the children. And, you know, and my mum would leave me with her sisters. Yes. And when i was leaving jamaica, my great aunt, a lovely lady. Ill show a picture of her. Who was the boss. Yeah, my gran aunt in kingston. And she called me over and wrapped me in newspaper my chest. So i was not cold when i got to the newspaper. Yeah, the actual newspaper. Newspaper she was reading, she wrapped it around. She got me to take my shirt off and wrap my chest in it. And then you put your shirt. My shirt on and got the paper. So you were insulated . I was insulated with paper, with newspaper. London compared with georgetown in guyana. Vast, you think . Oh, my god. Yeah. And you can see that youre able to actually look at those buildings that you read about. Its exciting. Hear about britain, the World Biggest and i want to know what britain is like. But youre young and youre. Well, i wasnt that young. I was 26, but still is young to leave home and dont know where youre going, what to expect, and so forth. It was quite fascinating, exciting, exciting and sometimes a little bit depressing. Not just the weather but some of the behaviours you saw. Why would anybody do that . I come down here with the money from london. I was satisfied with newport. It was brilliant. Everybody was so friendly. Black and white. It put me in my district home. I came here the saturday and the monday i get a job straightaway. Assembly, Car Batteries and lorry batteries. And thats where i worked here for three months out of 27 years. And thats where i worked here for three months short of 27 years. Thats the onlyjob i had in newport. And thats where i lived first. 29 Mill Parade was here. Yeah. Yeah, they knocked them all down. When i was in london, i had a terrible job and i couldnt get anywhere up there to buy. I could, but the agents told us not to buy the houses in battersea. For they was going to knock them down. And the house is there right now. He just lied to me, but you know things. Whats going on with they see the Blacks Buying Houses and they decide to put a stop to it. Have you heard the saying, no blacks, no irish, no dogs . Thats what they said. You didnt expect us to have that type of hardship. We have got it now. It hasnt gone away. Its still around. You might heard about the teddy boys in them. That was in the early 605. They were late. Yes, late 705. Early 605. They were vicious, but still, we managed to comb through them for it. They were school blood. They used the bicycle chain. Thats what they used to hit people with. And that cut you. So that was the way of life here. And we come through it, so. Theres a lot i. Isee. And its. But its human being. We shouldnt be like that to each other. But what are you going to do . Theres a lot of of it but i didnt. I dont take on everything because, as i said, people dont say things here and they dont realise that it is wrong. So you have to look at it and say it is wrong and everything. You jump to it, you have to say, well, you know, i wouldnt like this. I forgive her. She said, iforgive him. But i rememberjust ijust said, there is one more than one. I went into the Shopping Mall and there was a long queue. So i stood to the back of the queue and i went there until when i my turn, this lady, this white lady, she sat up in front of me and she should go up to the front. So i said, i was here before you. She says to me, go back to your country. I said, i pay my fare to come here. I met norma in the dance hall. The mecca dance hall. We danced and she told me if i want to really go to that, i had to see her parents. So i decided ill go and see her parents. I went to the house and she invited me in. I walked in and the mother greeted. My mother greeted me. Her mother greeted me. Herfather was in the kitchen after me and he just walked in and he said, whats he doing here . Get him out of here. I just turned without saying a word and walked out she just came and said, im coming with you. And thats that. You went into a pub and the landlord was putting bottles on the table for white guys to throw them at you. And you had to run. You know, the police was called and the police did not turn up. Then, you know, a judge is making a decision in a court about whether youre evicted or not. A school says youre educationally subnormal, but you didnt see it as race because we werent educated in the British Colonial education. That was race. With each canvas, theres lots of preparation, much of it you cannot see. There are these kind of subterranean levels underneath paper and cardboard. These are hundreds of small pieces of paper that have been adhered to the surface of newspaper by hand. In the case of sir geoff, where he talks about, for example, being wrapped in newspaper by his aunts because he didnt have a coat, and so i love the pairing between the use of newspaper and paper here to prepare him in a very similar sense. Theres a conceptual tie to his story that i enjoyed, but i do think that this idea of working with scraps, working with whats left over and trying to imbue it with a sense of dignity is very appropriate for this portrait. One of the things that i try to avoid getting into the pitfall on is that everything was horrid. It wasnt. Although i know that prejudices against people of my colour existed, what i did, even at those young earlier years, is to rise above what many people rightly describe as discrimination and Racial Discrimination and not allow it to go away and became a burden to you so that you become disaffected and disenchanted, but that you tried to see the Positive Side of life. It was just disappointing, but when it was good, i it was absolutely incredible. You saw amazing people. But then you had people who were who took a naturally dislike to you as though you had done them wrong. You know what i mean . So what have i done . Just being me could create this. Just being who i am. Another human being could create this. Well, i cant say very, very good. That was very disappointing i and you kind ofjust swallowed the lump and carried on. Carmen monroe is one of britains most experienced actresses. Shes been in the business for over 25 years, working in both theater and television, and will be well remembered for her performances in General Hospital and the fosters. Most recently, she starred in channel four� s popular Comedy Series desmonds. I saw myself on the stage at the earliest when i could think. How many plays are there thats written that got a black person in it . Somebodys got to be brave enough to say, well, im going to cast her, you know . And that that speaks for itself. Its not its not in your literature. Its not in in the canon. Youre not there. And if you are there, youd be what we saw at home. Youd be standing there with a tuft of hair, a bone through your nose, and and a loincloth. And tarzan would be the master. So that was black. If you got a black agent, would suggest you and. No, no, no, were not seeing her. She wouldnt be right or whatever without her looking. But, you know, you struggle, you keep on because theres got to be. There is going to be someone who is going to say, yeah, come on, lets, you know, and youre in. What are you going to do . Just not do it . Just decide its too hard . I cant imagine that. I cannot imagine that. Im looking for the multi millionaire rock star, movie actor and International Businessman who drinks in this pub. My knowledge of her really has been on the screen and so i wanted to do a print of her where shes in a cinema looking at images of herself. The idea is that these are kind of prompts for you to kind of think about. Oh, yes, i remember doing that. Everywhere i worked. I was the only black person at the time. Itjust seemed, well, you know, its these are early days. We have a mission in a way. I didnt see it as such, but i deeply held something in there saying, i have a mission to be in these places so that i can, so that black people could be in these places. And then we started making our own situation, you know, own companies and helping the other person and so on and so forth. But it was difficult and very frustrating. Wonderful. I was very fortunate to be constantly working at something or other and in some other capacity, some other group, some other something at the edinburgh festival, Something Groundbreaking for us to be seen in this. In that capacity, i was always there. I found ifound her i found her and photographed ifound her and photographed her. Out of that series of stills, ive chosen an image that i hope shell like that i think really captures her brilliance. I hope. She was born when like women, especially like black women, there was so much against them. And she, like, rose above it. Yeah, shes really inspirational. This isjust, like, another step to show that the Windrush Generation is important and we do care and they deserve a spot in the royal gallery. Like, thats a pretty big thing. Wow. Fantastic. Hello there. Weve had some sunny spells and showers for much of england, wales and Northern Ireland, Thicker Cloud At Times through scotland, with some outbreaks of rain, but some brighter moments at times, too. And as we head through saturday night, the showers are still with us across parts of scotland and towards Northern Ireland. Breezy around some western coast. Elsewhere, dry with some clear skies. You can see weve got low pressure anchored towards the north west overnight, higher pressure towards the southeast and that northwest, Southeast Split sticking with us into sunday. Through the early hours, a few showers continuing, many areas dry and not as humid as last night. Temperatures here in towns and cities around about the low teens. Now, of course, on sunday, all eyes on sydney. And after a lovely winters day of weather, by the time we reach kick off into the evening, temperatures around 17 degrees with a light breeze. Dry, clear skies. As we head through Sunday Morning here, at the same time that kick off happens, well have some sunshine around. For anyone wanting to watch the game outdoors, there will be some showers at times across parts of the west and northwest, warmest in the southeast with temperatures reaching the mid 20s. And then looking ahead into next week, low pressure sticking with us towards the northwest, higher pressure nearby and then things turn a little more unsettled for all by the mid to end part of next week. But heres monday. You can see weve got a Weather Front bringing outbreaks of rain in towards the west coast of scotland, parts of Northern Ireland as well. Elsewhere, largely dry with a few showers, a bit of a misty start across Southern England, but that will lift soon. And the afternoon is set fair with some sunshine. Temperatures climbing a little into the mid, maybe even high, 20s across parts of the east and south, fresher further north. 20s across parts of the east and southeast, fresher further north. On tuesday, a number of showers once again through parts of scotland, Northern Ireland in towards wales, one or two in towards the south west as well, drier through central and Southern England and temperatures again here, mid 20s, cooler and fresher further north. And then looking further ahead now through the wednesday midweek period, you can see weve still got low pressure, but that High Pressure in the southeast beginning to get squeezed away. And that means all the warmth that were seeing across parts of the near continent not really coming our way very much at all. Things taking a turn to a more unsettled outlook as we head through towards the latter stages of next week. Thats the forecast for now. Live from london this is bbc news. Only hours to go to the womens World Cup Final and the lioness is get a very special world cup message. Lionesses, we want to send you a huge good luck for tomorrow. Were sorry we cant be there in person. But were so proud of everything youve achieved and the millions youve inspired here and around the world. So go out there tomorrow and really enjoy yourselves. Good luck, lionesses spain are in the last stages of their prep for the final. Both countries looking to win the first ever world cup. At least seven people are killed in a Russian Missile attack on ukraine. One of the victims is a six year old child. More than a hundred are reported to be injured. Around 30,000. Fleet wildfires in british columbia. Tens of thousands are forced to leave their homes on the Spanish Island of tenerife as forest fires continue to rage. Hello and welcome. Im rajini vaidyanathan. We begin this hour with the Excitement Building ahead of the World Cup Final tomorrow. Between england and spain. England are chasing their second trophy in 30 months, after winning the euros last summer. They have acknowledged that they will need to win Play The Game of their life. The london eye has been lit up in Red And White colours on a show of support for england ahead of the final. That little more than 12 hours away. Millions of
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