December 8 – Nottingham Forest have announced they will include as part of their diversity programme an initiative to embrace the Jamaican diaspora in Nottingham and the contribution they have made to the city.
The club met with the Jamaican High Commissioner Seth George Ramocan and Jamaica’s minister of transport and mining, Michael Henry, to agree two years of co-operation from 2018 to 2020.
A timetable of events are currently being finalised and will being to roll out from the second quarter of 2018.
The celebrations coincide with the 40th anniversary of Forest’s back-to-back European Cup victories in 1978/79, and the 70th anniversary of the arrival of the ‘Windrush’, the first boat to arrive in the UK bringing Jamaicans to help with the rebuilding of industry after WW2.
“Naturally, we shall be celebrating our club’s amazing past achievement with a series of events over the two-year period, starting in June next year, but we want to make sure that one of the most vibrant communities in our midst is recognised and welcome to the club,” said Ioannis Vrentzos, who attended the London meeting representing Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis.
Henry, chairman of Humble Lions who play in Jamaica’s Premier League, sees a football opportunity between Jamaica and Forest as well.
“There are innumerable opportunities between our clubs in all areas of football that offer themselves for a long-term co-operation and I am excited by the new owners’ vision and dedication to go beyond the average and seek new avenues, a new vision to foster relationships across the water and with a region that is closely tied to the UK and vice-versa.”
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