ZIWO, a local Manchester group, was recently supported by The Ahmed Iqbal Ullah Race Relations Resource Centre in delivering a National Lottery Heritage Funded project. The project was co-ordinated by Tendayi Madzunzu the founder of the group. Over the past 12 months the project collected stories documenting the lives of Zimbabweans in Manchester. As part of the project two heritage events were organised both of which were very well attended by the local and wider community.

On Saturday 18 May at the TLM Centre in Moston the final sharing heritage event took place. The event featured talks by members of the community, participants and volunteers of varying ages. They reflected on the project and spoke of the impact it has had on them and their families and the local community. The speakers also expressed the importance of preserving their stories for the benefit of future generations with Zimbabwean Heritage who are born in Manchester and raised in between cultures.

There was also a display of traditional Zimbabwean utensils, foodstuffs, musical instruments and art as well as the singing of folk songs, dance and home cooked Zimbabwean food.

Outputs from this projects include a project booklet and a number of oral histories which will be archived and made accessible for research and study purposes at the Ahmed Iqbal Ullah Race Relations Resource Centre.

The Ahmed Iqbal Ullah Race Relations Resource Centre is an open access library and archive specialising in race ethnicity and migration. The library is part of the University of Manchester Special Collections and are situated in the basement of Manchester Central Library. The AIU Education Trust works on behalf of the centre to deliver anti-racism engagement work, supporting schools, communities and the wider public to explore and share their heritage through the co-production of projects, publications, exhibitions and events.