Liverpool’s Caribbean Centre celebrates diversity and 60 years of Jamaican Independence

Diversity is at the heart of Liverpool’s culture and Toxteth’s Caribbean Centre has been bringing the local community together for decades.

Celebrating Caribbean culture and Heritage, the community centre provides local residents with a space to meet new people, and regularly hosts a number of free events.

Sixty years since Jamaica gained independence from the United Kingdom, the Caribbean Centre is hosting an anniversary celebration, this Saturday.

The family friendly event is running from 1pm until 6pm, with activities such as arts and crafts, and bouncy castles, funded by Culture Deck.

From 9pm, adults are invited to continue the celebrations, with free reggae rum on arrival, courtsey of Turtle Bay.

One of the organisers, Maleka Egeonu-Roby, told LiverpoolWorld: “Every year, indepdence is more important but at a time when racism seems to be more prevalent, we need to celebrate the diversity of our communities.

“Community cohesion is at the heart of the event. Times can be hard and we want to provide a space where people can enjoy themselves, for free, during the summer holidays.”

The event aims to raise money for the Caribbean Centre, which, like many other community spaces, faces funding cuts and the risk of being shut down.

Maleka said: “The Caribbean Centre is one of the very few remaining assets we have in our community. Since the 1970s, it has provided a space of cultural celebration for our Caribbean residents, and the Liverpool 8 community.

“The centre is unique in that it was created specifically to celebrate diversity and we need to fundraise to pay the bills, maintain the site and more.”