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Vibrant Black History Month Celebrations at College

Darren Hankey (Principal, HCFE) welcomes and addresses the packed Atrium for the Opening Ceremony of Black History Month
Darren Hankey (Principal, HCFE) welcomes and addresses the packed Atrium for the Opening Ceremony of Black History Month. Photo HCFE

What a week it was at Hartlepool College last week, for our Celebrations of Black History Month 2024, and we can't help but feel a sense of pride and accomplishment. From Tuesday, 1st October to Thursday, 3rd October 2024, our campus was alive with the sights, sounds, and flavors of African culture, thanks to our fantastic partnership with Transformers HPL.

The excitement was felt right from the start. On Tuesday morning, our foyer was transformed into a mini African festival, with flags from various African nations setting the scene. Staff and students couldn't help but move to the beat as we kicked things off with some lively African dancing. Our Principal, Darren Hankey, summed it up perfectly when he called it "a truly wonderful and uplifting start" to our celebrations.

Over the three days, we went headfirst into the rich tapestry of African culture. There was never a dull moment as we moved from traditional drumming workshops to energetic Afrobeat dance classes. The aroma of African dishes filled the air during our cooking demonstrations, and let's just say, the tasting sessions afterward were a big hit!

Students and our Principal, Darren Hankey taking part in Afrobeat Dancing at the Black History Month Opening Ceremony. Photo: HCFE
Students and our Principal, Darren Hankey taking part in Afrobeat Dancing at the Black History Month Opening Ceremony. Photo: HCFE

Our students really got into the spirit of things. The Art & Design crew showcased some incredible Black History Month-themed work outside our First Floor Learning Core. Meanwhile, our Travel & Tourism and Aviation students got a crash course in 'Responsible Tourism' from the brilliant Gina at Transformers HPL.

But it wasn't all just fun and games. This celebration was about something much bigger. As Gina Mainoo from Transformers HPL pointed out, "Newly arrived BAME communities need us to create safe spaces and opportunities for emerging communities to come together and form strong social connections." And that's exactly what we aimed to do.

Gina Maino (Transformers HPL) giving expert knowledge and advice to our cohort of Travel, Tourism and Aviation Students getting invaluable information and insight on 'Responsible Tourism'
Gina Mainoo (Transformers HPL) giving invaluable information to our cohort of Travel, Tourism and Aviation Students about 'Responsible Tourism'

You see, here at Hartlepool College, we're all about breaking down barriers and bringing people together. We believe there's more that unites us than divides us, and this celebration was living proof of that. It was amazing to see students and staff from all backgrounds coming together, learning from each other, and just having a great time.

Looking back, we can't help but feel that this year's Black History Month celebrations were even better than last year's - and that's saying something!  As we get back to our regular routines, we're carrying with us the rhythms, flavours, and spirit of this celebration. It's all part of our ongoing mission to transform lives and create an educational environment where everyone feels welcome and valued.

Our Hairdressing students, enriched by an African Hair Workshop
Our Level 3 Hairdressing students, being enriched by an African Hair Workshop and Demonstration

We want to give a massive shout-out to Transformers HPL for being such fantastic partners, to all the our staff who helped make this celebration possible, and of course, to our incredible students and staff who threw themselves into every activity with such enthusiasm.

Here's to diversity, to inclusion, and to many more celebrations that bring us all closer together. After all, that's what we're all about at Hartlepool College and there is more than unites us than divides us.

#BlackHistoryMonth #Enrichment #Celebrating #HCFERespect

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