TV historian Sir Tony Robinson this week bestowed a unique honour on Swansea’s Uzo Iwobi OBE for her tireless work in keeping the UK’s heritage alive during the pandemic.
In the form of a night-time installation, Stonehenge was lit up with the faces of eight individuals who, with the help of National Lottery funding, are supporting heritage projects across the UK. Equalities practitioner Uzo was among those whose image adorned the stones, in dedication to her work with The Race Council Cymru.
Uzoamaka Linda Iwobi OBE is a British-Nigerian solicitor and equalities practitioner. She is the specialist policy adviser on equalities to the Welsh Government, an honorary fellow at the University of Wales Trinity St David and founder, secretary and former chief executive officer at Race Council Cymru
The historic takeover of Stonehenge is the first time the 5,000-year-old sarsen stones of the world-renowned site have been dedicated to individual members of the public.
A video projection of Sir Tony acted to first illuminate the historic stones and introduce the display.
Uzo, 51, has been the driving force behind gathering BAME specialist’s business, social sciences and consultants of medicine and law to inform the First Minister’s Covid 19 BAME advisory committee chaired by Judge Singh. The subgroups explored genetic, factors, comorbidities and socio-economic factors which impact on BAME people making them more susceptible to contracting the virus to help understand and prevent the spread of the virus.
During this time, Uzo found it important to volunteer her services and expertise to support BAME grassroots communities reeling from shock at the sudden deaths due to Covid.
“Our immediate need was to embrace the families that were bereaved,” said Uzo.
Under Uzo’s guidance, Race Council Cymru also launched the Windrush Heritage Project – a National Lottery funded project that tells the stories of Wales’ Windrush generation in a virtual exhibition.
The project features the stories by 10 people – known as Windrush Cymru Elders – whose own journeys, or that of their family, brought them to Wales during a period of immigration between 1948 and 1988.
With lockdowns and travel restrictions becoming the new normal, green spaces and historic sites have played an increasingly pivotal role in people’s lives.
The homage comes as the results of new National Lottery research announced today highlight that 73 per cent of Welsh people say outdoor spaces have had a positive effect on their mental wellbeing during the pandemic. A further four in 10 (40 per cent) said that heritage sites have made them feel more relaxed and less anxious in difficult times, whilst 45 per cent say that heritage sites make them feel proud of their local area.
Sir Tony Robinson said: “I love the fact that Stonehenge is being lit up as a tribute to some of the country’s key project workers and volunteers, letting the public know about the hard work they’ve been doing to keep our heritage accessible to everyone using National Lottery funding.
“Without the graft and tireless effort of these wonderful people, our much-loved heritage would be more at risk than ever this year.”
