Activities
Summary of Heritage Celebration 2005


In October 2004 Nubian Jak piloted the Celebrating A Common Heritage project. The pilot involved launching an English Heritage blue plaque to the late Trinidadian writer and political thinker, CLR James, promoting seven English heritage BME plaques and a celebrity game show fundraiser. The culmination of this African Heritage Month pilot project last year saw Nubian Jak become the first black owned company to work exclusively with English Heritage and its Blue Plaques Team in their history. In fact the pilot project was launched and supported by Culture Secretary, the Rt Honorable Tessa Jowell MP, ensuring local and national interest in the project.
Such was the success of "Celebrating A Common Heritage" that there were calls for it to become an annual event.

For October 2005 through to December 2005 Nubian Jak, with support from the Heritage Lottery Fund, Westminster Green Plaques, London Libraries has developed Heritage Celebrations 2005 which involves most of London Boroughs.

This year's project uses four themes focusing on black and minority personalities who have made a significant contribution to London. The celebration provides a gateway for people of all ages to explore the multicultural heritage of the nation's capital. The four elements to the project are:

• London Libraries BME Treasure Hunt (October)
• Central London Plaques Treasure Trail (October)
• Celebrating A Common Heritage Educational Booklet (November)
• Celebrity Heritage Tribute Gala - Who Knows Jak (December)

 — The Central London Plaques Treasure Trail (3rd October - 27th October) involves 3 English Heritage Blue plaques and 3 Westminster Green plaques between Warwick Avenue (W2) and Oxford Circus (W1). The trail commenced with the unveiling of a heritage plaque to the Crimean War heroin, Mary Seacole, which has been specially commemorated by Westminster Council and Nubian Jak with the support from the Portman Estate. Other names on the trail include the historic London sites of: The Cato Street Conspiracy, Robert Browning, Jimi Hendrix, Lokmanya Tilak, William Davidson and Oluadah Equiano.

— London Libraries Black History Month Treasure Hunt (11th October- 31st October) involves 72 libraries across London taking part in a family learning quiz throughout October. However, for the London borough of Newham Nubian Jak has done a specially prepare quiz called "Searching for Gold." This quiz is designed to keep Newham's Olympic dream in the public eye and features questions on the 10 black British athletes that have won an Olympic gold medal. Can you name them?

— A Heritage Celebration 2005 Educational Booklet has been published specifically for the project. With pictures of the treasure hunt plaques, and biographies on the personalities featured, the booklet will be distributed in schools and libraries to support complement and in some cases improve learning materials already available.

— Finally, a Celebrity Heritage Tribute Gala Evening at the Institute of Education at the 900-seater Institute of Education is scheduled for 27 November 2005. The gala will be an evening of fun-filled entertainment with celebrities paying tribute through an itinerary of music, poetry, comedy, dance and a game show called Who Knows Jak, to the 10 personalities featured in Heritage Celebration 2005 project to a close. The event will be a fundraiser for 2 charities, and members of the audience will also get the opportunity to win some fantastic prizes including an all expenses paid family holiday to the Caribbean.


More information about the Nubian Jak Celebrity Heritage Gala Tribute can be obtained from the latest news section on this site.