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Ivor's Compass: A Hidden Croydon Story, Viewed in a Different Light
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In 1948, a gay, mixed heritage civil servant stood on Tilbury Docks and welcomed the passengers of the SS Empire Windrush — the moment that came to define modern Black Britain.
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His name was Ivor Cummings. He'd already received his OBE that year, already been the first Black official in the Colonial Office, already survived the bombing of the Café de Paris. The composer Samuel Coleridge-Taylor's family had claimed him as a boy in Croydon. He was proudly, quietly gay throughout his life.
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And then his story disappeared for thirty years.
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We're bringing it back — through art, writing, and coloured light.
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Sunday 12 April, 3–6pm • Stanley Arts, South Norwood • Free
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What happens on the day
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An installation that changes under your eyes — seven floor-to-ceiling ink illustrations that reveal different stories under rotating red and blue theatrical lighting. The same shapes carry a public biography and a private emotional interior. You walk between them.
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A conversation about a life reclaimed — historian Stephen Bourne joins us to talk about who Ivor was, why his story was lost, and what it means to find it now.
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A writing exercise — you'll receive prompts connected to six chapters of Ivor's life. Write your response. Record it if you want to. Your words may become part of a community soundscape that lives on in the digital journal.
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A digital wellness journal — every guest receives an access code to Ivor's Compass, a free personal development tool that weaves heritage into guided journaling, affirmation cards, and heritage meditations. Take the experience home.
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This event is part of the Samuel Coleridge-Taylor 150 celebrations — a year of events marking the 150th anniversary of the birth of Croydon's world-renowned composer. Ivor's connection to the Coleridge-Taylor family is where his story begins.
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It's Good to Talk — And Not Just for Your Own Mental Health
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Last week we presented our mental health proposal at a Black Mental Health & Wellbeing Alliance brown bag lunch. The conversation sharpened something we'd been circling for a while.
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It's good to talk. We know that. But talking isn't only therapeutic — it's how you build the case for change. When Black queer men share their experiences with each other, with researchers, with allies, those conversations become data. And data is what the system runs on. Right now, the system doesn't see us. There is no reliable dataset on mental health outcomes for Black queer men in the UK. We are invisible in the evidence base — and invisible in the commissioning that follows from it.
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3.8% of Black patients complete NHS Talking Therapies. Black gay and bisexual men are five times more likely to attempt suicide than white gay men. These are not gaps. They are a different system wearing the same name.
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Thanks to the BMHWA and everyone who joined the webinar for helping us sharpen and better situate our proposal. We are now keen to open wider discussions — seeking partnerships, resources, and connections to transform mental health outcomes for Black queer men in the UK. If you work in mental health, public health, data, research, or community development and want to be part of this, get in touch: rob@blkoutuk.com.
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Meet the BLKOUT Board
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BLKOUT is growing. Over the coming weeks we'll be introducing the people shaping the future of the UK's first cooperative platform for Black queer men. Six board members. Six stories. Six reasons to believe in what we're building.
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First introductions coming soon — watch this space.
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Join the board: two Finance/Fundraising vacancies
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Every function on our board works in pairs — for accountability, mutual support, and agility. We're looking for two people to form our Finance/Fundraising pair. You don't need to be qualified accountants — you need to care about this community and want to help it thrive. Get in touch.
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Know someone who should be there? Forward this email. Share the booking link. Bring a friend on the day.
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BLKOUT Creative Ltd • Community Benefit Society RS008088
blkoutuk.com
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Ivor's Compass is funded by the Samuel Coleridge-Taylor 150 Small Heritage Grant, administered by Croydon Council and supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.
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[SCT 150] [Croydon Council] [National Lottery Heritage Fund]
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