200 years since the abolition of slavey event in Pollards Hill

Yesterday along with my Pollards Hill ward colleague Richard Williams, I attended an event in the Pollards Hill Community centre to mark the 200th anniversary of the abolition of slavery. The event itself was organised by Rev Jennifer Thomas of the Ascension Church in Pollards Hill and Pastor Mike Jefferson of The Way Church.

A wide variety of different groups were involved including local churches in Pollards Hill, Doris Halford dance school, along the William Morris Primary School who performed Islands in the Sun on drums along with other music to fit in with the occasion. As with many events in Pollards Hill it also involved many different cultures which added to the diversity of the event.

Perhaps though, the most moving part of the afternoon was the rendition of Amazing Grace by John Newton. Until yesterday, I was unaware of the history behind this most moving hymn (and probably most the most famous) and John Newton the author who had been a slave trade master but had found God and realised the error of his ways. Through joining with William Wilberforce they were prime movers in abolition. I hope shortly to watch the film Amazing Grace which is in the cinemas, anniversaries like this really make you think about the past and that the suffering that many of our ancestors went through.