October is Black History Month. The month aims to celebrate and raise awareness of black history, culture and heritage.

It also seeks to provide information on positive black contributions to British society. That way, we can also heighten the confidence and awareness of black people to their own cultural heritage.

This year’s theme is Time for Change: Action Not Words. These can be small changes, such as reading a book by a black author via the Bracknell Forest library catalogue, exploring the history of the event, or just having a conversation on the topic. Broadening knowledge is the best form of driving genuine and lasting change.

You can find out more about Black History Month on our website. We are always happy to hear from residents on different ways we can engage with this event.

Last week, it was my honour to attend the opening of the Vsi Razom community hub in Princess Square. It’s the brainchild of two very special residents, Ashleigh and Natalia, who initially wanted to provide a central meeting point for any displaced Ukrainians now resident in the borough.

Vsi Razom is Ukrainian for ‘all together’, and the community hub was a collaborative project between volunteers and the council. Even after many years as the council leader, and even longer as a resident, the generosity of people living in the borough still astounds me. Since February, we have had numerous residents open their homes to guests from Ukraine, as well as supporting them to adjust to life here in Bracknell Forest.

The new hub has meeting rooms, a small play area for children, and is a meeting point for finding out information from various council partners. Initially, the hub will open three days a week (Saturday and Tuesday from 10am, Thursday from 2pm) for six hours a day, with hopes of this scaling up as it becomes more established. The hub aims to be an inclusive and welcoming place for new residents to Bracknell Forest, wherever they may have come from.

I wish to thank all those involved in this project, with special thanks to our partners at The Lexicon and Kerith Church. However, the biggest kudos goes to Ashleigh and Natalia. It is one thing to have a vision, it is quite another to bring that vision to life. I look forward to seeing how it develops.