The Brixton Society will be using their award to fund local displays, publications, commemorative events involving people's reminiscences and a memorial, which will contribute to the celebration of the cultural heritage of the local communities.
Commenting on the award Colin spoke of his experiences both growing up in the West Indies and of the significance of the bicentenary: "Both Shivnarine Chanderpaul, the present senior-most West Indian cricketer and I come from the same place, a very small village called Unity, in Guyana."
"We both know the personal efforts it took to be international cricketers, trying hard to be the best is just one part of the effort. Determination is a great asset, but even that sometimes needs help."
"Getting opportunities sometimes depends on the efforts of others. It would have been so nice to have a scheme like Awards For All to help us when we were starting out, to provide the base to help us along."
"These incentives and awards are vital to garner the interest and to reward industry in sport and community development, especially for young people. This is a great positive for the effort of expanding all sports and community development projects. Congratulations to all."
"It should also be understood that almost all, about 95% of the present West Indian population, about seven million, are direct descendants of the effects of slavery. The Afro-Caribbean persons, (people of Black African descent), are direct descendants of the imported slaves, while the Indo-Caribbean persons, (people of Indian descent), are the direct descendants of indentured labourers, those who were paid very little, but also imported to the Caribbean to replace the slaves after the slave trade was abolished in 1807, and slavery itself abolished; the slaves freed; on August 01, 1838.
"The present West Indies cricket team demonstrates this demographic much better than words or even emotions could convey."
"The two hundred years since the abolition of slavery should be celebrated, since it is from that environment that people like Martin Luther King jr., Muhammad Ali, Clive Lloyd, Sir Vivian Richards, the Williams sisters and so many others have descended from to exude excellence in sport, business and politics."
