As Britain gets ready to celebrate another Windrush Day on June 22, I use the opportunity to reflect on what I wrote for the British Future report Why the Windrush Matters Today in 2023 and I’m struck by how much has changed and how much remains unfinished.

At the time, I argued that Windrush 75 should be both a celebration and a catalyst. It was an opportunity to recognise the contribution of the Windrush generation, engage a new generation with this history, and begin a national conversation about what Britain could look like by Windrush 100 in 2048. Windrush was not simply a story about the past; it was a story about our future and the kind of society we want to build.

The 75th anniversary marked a watershed moment in the recognition of the Windrush generation. Across Britain, communities, local authorities, schools, museums, libraries, faith organisations and cultural institutions came together to celebrate the contributions of the pioneers who helped rebuild post-war Britain. What had once been a largely community-led commemoration became a truly national moment.