now on bbc news, windrush: portraits of a generation. history is thankfully and finally 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, i948 — 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. if you ever feel like you're in a room and you're the only one in the room, that's the way i feel, at that time. but then you start to meet friends, you know, and here and there, and little bit and that and then get them together. and then they say, "well, it's time we have a little thing about my people now," because lots of people didn't believe that. they didn't believe their dream would be such a horrible time. but we survived. big john has been a pioneer and the work that he has done to challenge some of these stereotype images that people have of us. these are the things that will live on. you go to this meeting. you do this marching. and things like that. you do that because there was nobody taking up for us. we have a lot of things to march on. we have marched against apartheid. we have marched against bad housing. we have marched against police brutality. in terms of some of the employment laws that has been enacted. i'm glad that big john is still around to ensure that information is passed onto our younger people and it will continue. we have a long way to go. a very, very long way. i won't see the end of it. grandma. oh, look at the cameras waiting again for me today. gracious me. me don't care how tired i am. i have to find time for people to look after them, pray with them. sometimes when i'm here at home, i bring them and talk with them. i love doing her. she's beautiful. lovely lady. # down the mountain, the river flows...# in 2007, my dear mother decided, at the age of 77, that she wanted to set up a group for older people. and she's very loved in the group. and as you can see, she's quite a feisty lady. and what she decides she's going to do, she'll do it. i feel quite proud of her, actually. yeah. i just see some things to be done, ijust do it. i don't wait to be asked. ijust get out and do it and that's me. and they would tell me off, you know? she chuckles she was born when, like, women, especially black women, were like, you know, heavily, like there was so much against them and she like rose above it and did things that were amazing and, yeah, she's really inspirational. my name isjessie stephens with a "ph". born in castries, st lucia, west indies in the year 1927. mum was a police liaison officer. in the middle of the night, you know, the police would come and pick mummy up so that she could go down to help some of these kids who had problems. for a black woman to be working with the police at that time was very awkward because people never trusted the police, so therefore they wouldn't trust her. we used to get picked up by the black mariah, which was a big van with the police in it. and they would stop us, they would search us and it was really uncomfortable. you know, your civil rights were being taken away from you. it was a very heavy period. but she didn't care. she thought she had a duty to do. she felt she needed to really help the community and help the youngsters that were having issues and problems. they needed someone at the time, you know? all those members of the police were all men, i was the only woman. and i thought i'd help, but some of the police officers didn't like the idea. i was called out and i went, and when i got there he said to me, "the detective doesn't want you." and i turned my back. i came home. then the phone rang. it was the detective. he told me he's been waiting on me. i said, "but i was there and your sergeant said that, um, that you didn't need me." he said, "how could he say so? i never told him i didn't need you." right, so... ..so he said to me, "i have the little boy here. i need you to be here." if i had not attended that little boy, he would be locked up, you see? he would be locked up and... and i felt that that little boy, a ten—year—old, shouldn't be locked up, you know. what has he done? all he stole was somebody�*s... some food, something like that, you know, because he's hungry, you know? he's, you know... yes. but that's the only way. you have to be in there... ..for you to know what's going on, to understand it, you know? you couldn't do it on the outside. well, i've had a beautiful life. beautiful. all the way. i think, had it not been for people like her working in the nhs, doing most of the jobs that others wouldn't do, i'm not sure where it'd get you. and i think it's important that britain does not forget the contribution of the windrush generation. i've been lucky in england. i have a good life. so i can't knock it. they should be given a pat on the back for doing the work that maybe some of the brits didn't want to do at that time and they worked hard. you know, like, my parents were from that generation. they didn't have credit cards, you know? they didn't run up huge credit bills and stuff like that. they bought everything. and they instilled that in us. it's important to kind of have a starting point. and i guess the windrush generation, some of the things that have happened recently, we've seen that, you know, they were supposed to be welcomed but that welcome wasn't so smooth and, you know, things like people's passports and... it hasn't been as happy a reception as it could have been. so, yeah, i think it's important to now, you know, to lay your flag on the ground and start to, you know, try to do things better. the windrush scandal has upset a lot of people and i know lots is being done to apologise for that. but this isjust, like, another step to show that the windrush generation is important and that we do care and they deserve a spot in the royal gallery. like, that's a pretty big thing. i think it's very significant. it's an acknowledgement... ..of our history. it's an acknowledgement that we are the same - people from the past. who wouldn't have their portrait put up in this way _ l and the very fact that our portrait i is being put up in buckingham palace in the royal collection, to me, that reflects. an understanding... ..that we're one humanity. nothing less. and we've always been that. yes, now you come up with the portrait. probably you know more that i can ask, you know. we'll see that when we go to buckingham palace. oh, good. all right. that's all right. she deserves it because she has worked continuously through the last... even till now, you know? in the community for the saint lucian people, for our people. even now, you know, at her gooder age, people still... that phone never stops. the phone does not stop ringing, you know, because people are always asking for her assistance all the time. i can't begin to tell you. it just seems like... ..it's something that happens to somebody else. it's... i've... i've looked at other people in that kind of situation and think, "good on you. well done. " it's a thank you, isn't it? for me being me. amazing. i can't wait. i just cannot wait to see it because... ..she�*s very, very special to me. well, i think the king like me. i know i will cry. i don't know about my mum, but i know definitely i will cry. you know, to just see that. do you know? something that 500 years later people could still say, "look, this woman came from the caribbean and she achieved this." i'm looking forward to seeing it because, you know, it will be a surprise because you don't know what is coming. so it will be a surprise. would you feel emotional? nah, no, what for? sorry. no. "i'm not going to feel emotional!" nah. i'm just cool about it. yeah. my sincere hope is that this project acts as a reminder that our society is woven from diverse threads. each comprising stories of remarkable courage and sacrifice... ..determination and strength. though drawn from different parts of the world, they collectively enrich the fabric of our national life... ..and the unique tapestry of the commonwealth. i would like to express my particular thanks to baroness floella benjamin 0m dbe, the right reverend rose hudson—wilkin mbe, mr rudolph walker cbe, and ms paulette simpson cbe, otherwise known as the windrush portraits committee, who were able to help find such wonderful sitters for these portraits. these stories matter because they haven't been told before. people have been silent. people have carried the pain and the trauma silently, getting on with their lives. busy working in the nhs, in the railways, in factories. doing things that other people didn't want to do. untold stories are now being told, and you're going to see that through this historic portrait project. whoa! laughing yes. look. ah, that is lovely. duct tape and crystal tape on four cork panels. - brilliant. wow. 0h, fantastic. laughing isn't it lovely? clifton has done you proud. he's done a greatjob. your mischievous smile. your twinkle in your eyes. oh, yes. beautiful. what do you think of the clouds? i think sometimes i think i'm dreaming. laughing because somebody tell me this will happen... no. both: oh, my god. magical. 0h, isn't that amazing? fantastic. i wasn't expecting to see this, you know? it's so much like me. i can see her life through this portrait. something we can all think back and say, "yes, this isjessie. this is my mum." i think it's wonderful. i think it's... well, you know, it's... i don't know. i'm lost for words, for a change. it somehow reflects the windrush spirit. i think it, you know, we came and... ..we saw and we conquered. i like that pink. that pink dress, outfit's lovely. what do you think about it, mum? it's beautiful. it's lovely. well, i didn't know i looked that pretty. and modest as well. oh, it's beautiful. i see how hard my mum worked and to see from where she came to where she achieves now, i think ism _ i thank god for that. it's too much. i can't even... i feel like crying. i'm crying for happiness. yes. it's lovely. i think it's beautiful. you think it's beautiful? yeah. if you say so, it's all right. i'm glad about it. it's a representation of, like, everything he's been - through and, like, what he's had to overcome and he's _ still overcoming to this day. so i feel like it's a true - representation of what my grandad's been through. very special. it is special. i'm absolutely speechless. absolutely fabulous. stunning. it's a wonderful experience to have seen it. oh, wow. actually, but you know what? i see a lot of mother. yes. don't you think? my heart is racing. this is so deep. you know what i mean? this is part now of the history of this place. not bad. chuckling but it's me. it's you. it's definitely you. it's lovely. that's amazing. yeah. definitely captured you. i grew up a happy boy. i raised a happy family. but to think i'm in... here am i in buckingham palace. laughing good heavens. never thought such a thing would've happened. she's done a brilliantjob. absolutely. every whisker. laughing hello, big john. how very nice to meet you. very nice to meet you, too. what do you think of your portrait? it's very wise. because did you come over in 1948? yes. i was in the war and i came back on the windrush. thank you so much for... thanks very much. ..all the wonderful contribution you've made. hello, jessie. pleased to meet you. my goodness, you look absolutely wonderful in your gold. did you paint it? i painted jessie, yes. goodness, that's so lovely. edna. your majesty. nice to meet you. i thank you. you survived this experience, did you? yes, yes. you didn't have to sit for too long? no, no, no. you didn't fall asleep in the middle. laughter no, no, no. and i hope you got on with the artist all right? very much. i've adopted her, actually. i mean, literally, carmen has been my life because i've seen you since, you know, as far back as i can remember. it's nice to meet you and i'm praying for you. you are kind. yes, and your family. well, i need all the prayers i can get so i'm most grateful to you. yeah. how do you think about it? because it's so difficult looking at yourself, isn't it? it is so difficult looking at yourself, but i think she has captured my characteristics. this is incredible. thank you. so these are duct tape. yes. yeah, because i'm interested in migration and the story- of windrush is about migration. it's a real masterpiece. did it take you quite a lot of time to...? it was easy, it was his energy. his energy is what i wanted to capture. i think it's so riveting how you've done it on... was it newspaper? it's newspaper, but there's an amazing link to his story. he was wrapped in newspaper when he left jamaica. in 1955. thank you very much for your contribution to the windrush story. live from london, this is bbc news. spanish soccer federation chief luis rubiales has said he will defend himself after being suspended by fifa over a scandal in which he kissed a world cup winner on the lips without her consent. investigations into thefts at the british museum continue — as the institution says some of the 2,000 items believed to be stolen have started to be recovered. more disruption to uk rail services expected today — with workers in england walking out over pay and conditions. plus, we're bringing you all the action and taking you behind the scenes at this year.s edinburgh festival fringe. hello. luis rubiales has said he'll defend himself after fifa provisionally suspended him as president of spain's football association. his suspension from all football—related activities came