* Creative Lives Awards 2022 - Celebrating Diversity Award Winner * 

Find out more about this group in this short video, or read about them below:

Founded in 2019, African and Caribbean Elders Scotland (ACES) is an organisation for African and Caribbean over-60s living in Scotland. Members from around the country meet regularly online, providing mutual support, companionship and fun.

During 2022, ACES planned and facilitated three free, public oral history events online to mark Doors Open Days, Black History Month and International Men's Day.

During the events, speakers reflected on a variety of topics ranging from love, education and parenting to immigration, the impact of the Black Lives Matter movement and fighting injustice. Sharing their experiences and knowledge with new listeners reinforced a sense of community while recording this important part of Scottish history, heritage and culture for future generations.

Attendees at these events hailed from home and abroad - Kenya, Barbados, Coventry, the Gambia, Dumfries & Galloway, Glasgow, Edinburgh and Aberdeen. The youngest storyteller was six and the oldest was 95. As well as personal reminiscences, short stories and poems inspired by their lives have also been shared, covering topics such as displacement, racism and ancient African history.

“African and Caribbean Elders in Scotland has never recorded lived experience stories before," says Harriette Campbell of the group, "nor have we hosted online events, and we would like to do this again in the future. As one speaker, Chief, remarked, ‘when we listen, we find solutions to challenges’.” 

[Pictured L to R: David Bryan, Creative Lives; Kay Solaja, ACES; Esther Solaja, ACES; Harriette Campbell, ACES; Nick Ahad, BBC Radio Leeds]