Events at this location

Chief Executive of Notting Hill Carnival 1989–2002. A barrister who kept Europe’s largest street festival alive. Hear her story firsthand.

Dr Claire Holder OBE served as Chief Executive of Notting Hill Carnival from 1989 to 2002 – thirteen years that defined the modern era of Europe’s largest street festival. A barrister by training, she gave legal advice at the Black People’s Information Centre on Portobello Road before going on to navigate the legal, organisational and community challenges that come with running an event of Carnival’s scale.

Claire shares her story, her memories and her reflections on what it took to keep Carnival alive and how festivals can build rather than divide communities.

He worked at Grassroots on Golborne Road – the bookshop at the heart of Notting Hill’s Caribbean community. Here his story.

From 1979 to 1981 Robert worked at Grassroots Bookshop on Golborne Road, with responsibility for its operations. Grassroots was one of the foundational Black activist centres in Notting Hill, operating on pan-Third World principles alongside the Mangrove and the Black People’s Information Centre. He was also involved in the publication of Grassroots Newspaper during this period.

From 1981 to 1985 he worked for Ujima Housing Association, the Black-led housing association founded to address the chronic housing discrimination faced by the Caribbean community. He continued on the Ujima Management Board until its liquidation by the Housing Corporation in 2007.

This is an intimate In Conversation evening in the Listening Lounge – a small space for no more than 20 people. Robert shares his story, his memories of the neighbourhood and what community meant on the Frontline.