Academy pays tribute to Windrush Generation through music

As the annual tournament for under-12 teams from Premier League academies approaches, Chelsea’s young Blues have been focused on their Truce Project which combines football, education, and a powerful message.

The 2023 Truce project theme is Walter Tull and the 75th Anniversary of the Windrush generation’s arrival in the UK. It is a project which aims to foster understanding, remembrance, and a celebration of diversity within the club.

The Football Remembers initiative, which encompasses the Truce tournament, has taken the Chelsea Academy to HMS Temeraire in Portsmouth, where they will compete for a chance to qualify for the international finals in Belgium next year.

However, the journey to the finals involves much more than just football.

Chelsea Under-12s have taken a multi-faceted approach to understand the significance of Remembrance.

One of the most innovative aspects of their project this year is the creation of a Caribbean-inspired song that pays tribute to the Windrush generation and the remarkable life of Walter Tull.

The Windrush generation, who arrived in the UK 75 years ago, left a profound mark on the country, and their legacy lives on in various aspects of British culture, including music.

To bring this unique project to life, the Chelsea Academy collaborated with Soca artist and former The Voice semi-finalist, Triniboi Joocie. Together, they organised a song-writing workshop at Cobham, which was attended by some of our men’s first-team players, including Raheem Sterling, Levi Colwill and club captain Reece James.

The workshop was followed by a studio recording session in London, where the boys brought their Caribbean-inspired song to life.

In addition to their musical endeavours, our boys engaged in various educational activities. They wrote poems and prose reflecting the inspiring life of Walter Tull, a figure who broke barriers as a black footballer and soldier during World War One.

The boys also participated in an enlightening session at the Black Cultural Archives on Windrush Square, Brixton, to deepen their understanding of the Windrush generation’s impact on the UK.

The players also took part in a community engagement day in the Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea, during which they interviewed members of the public to gauge their knowledge of Windrush and Walter Tull.

They also delivered educational sessions on these important topics to younger children attending a local soccer school.

Khalil Mitchell, one of our young players, expressed his enjoyment and appreciation for the project. ’My favourite part was learning about different historical black cultures like the Windrush generation,’ he said. ’The Black British Archive was enjoyable, and I just enjoyed the fact that I got to learn.’

Another of our Under-12s, Koby Igoh, found the music-related activities particularly enjoyable.

’It was inspiring to work with Triniboi, who showed us a new world through music. Recording in the studio was such good fun, we were free to be creative on the mic and in the whole process. It was also great to work with my friends and produce a song that so many people around the academy have enjoyed.’

The culmination of their efforts resulted in a heartfelt song and a music video that not only paid tribute to the Windrush generation and Walter Tull but also showcased the boys’ creativity and passion.

The project served as a reminder of the power of football to unite people and inspire them to delve into their rich cultural heritage.