There was a real buzz in the room during Slough CVS’s Our Heritage, Our Stories and Our Future community heritage consultation workshop, which sparked lively discussion about what heritage means in Slough.

Conversations explored food, culture, language, traditions, the arts, poetry in Dari, and the history of African and Caribbean communities, alongside the stories, memories and lived experiences people want to value and pass on to future generations.

Patricia Lichst from the National Lottery Heritage Fund joined the session and noted the energy and creativity in the room.

The workshop also served as a consultation with the VCSE sector to explore interest in future heritage projects—focused on preserving and sharing the stories, skills, places and experiences that shape Slough’s identity.

Asma Aziz, CEO of Slough CVS, described the session as “an engaging, community-led discussion that generated strong ideas for collaboration and strengthening heritage across the town.”

Hangama Liwal Saam, Founder of AWAZ Women’s Group, who attended the workshop commented: “We had a wonderful and informative heritage session with Asma Aziz, which brought everyone together and created a strong sense of connection within our community. 

“Learning about and sharing our diverse backgrounds helps us understand one another, celebrate our differences, and strengthen our connections. We hope that Slough CVS will organise more sessions like this, giving us the opportunity to share our cultures, stories, and experiences from different countries and backgrounds.”

There was strong interest in potential Heritage Fund applications, particularly to support smaller organisations and develop partnerships with existing cultural and heritage groups.

Slough CVS will now continue working with the Heritage Fund to explore how these ideas can be taken forward.