Ealing (Parliament Politics Magazine) – The Caribbean and African Collective in West Ealing must raise £65,000 to secure new premises and avoid permanent closure, threatening vital community services.
The borough’s sole Black cultural center is the Caribbean and African Collective in West Ealing (CACE). Meanwhile, a lease’ was granted to the organization in February 2025 to open its first physical location; however, this lease expires in a little more than a month, and construction is scheduled to take place there.
Its founders are currently working to gather enough money to find a new lease for their business. Through GoFundMe, £205 of the required £65,000 has been raised thus far. The goal is predicated on the typical leasing price for the size of space they need.
Michelle Brooks told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) that West Ealing has long been “the heart of the Black community” in the borough. She added:
“It’s all about sharing and preserving these stories.
Especially for young people, who live on the internet, we want to keep the stories alive, get them to connect with the older people. It’s intergenerational, we have open mics, poetry, storytelling, drop-ins, and it’s a place where you can just have a chat and share your problems.”
Organizations and individuals of Black Caribbean and African heritage comprise CACE. Established in 2024 as a social company, it offers a specialized cultural hub for the Black populations of Ealing.
With more than 30 events since December 2024, its goal is to spread awareness of Black history and culture within the larger Ealing community in order to foster intercultural understanding and active anti-racism.
Currently operating under a temporary “meanwhile lease,” CACE is housed in what was once a jeweler.
Carlene Bender, Co-Director and Vice Chair, said:
“There is nowhere in Ealing quite like this, it’s not just about spreading the word… There is a history of Black people in Ealing, which is invisible.
[CACE is here to] remind them about where we come from, and to share it with the wider community. We only started in March, with a gardening group, we’ve tried lots of things. We also host cultural events in the evening.”
The organization held eight events in June alone, including a Windrush Day tea party, business networking, and workshops on creative writing. It held a poetry workshop in July that portrayed the ordinary living room of a Black home from several decades ago.
Despite the work it does, CACE does not feel it has received enough support from Ealing Council. Michelle described the local authority as a “tough nut to crack”. She said:
“We haven’t had a visit from Peter Mason (Council Leader), but we have invited him.”
In 2022, the council commissioned a race equality report which, when published in December 2024, found that the Black community is the least supported in Ealing. Referring to this, Michelle said:
“[The report] found that we are the least supported, you’re not helping us so we are helping ourselves. But when we come to you, you’re not putting your money where your mouth is.”
Ealing Council told the LDRS that the council is “working with partners to identify alternative spaces”, and that it has “raised the issue with local developers and the West Ealing BID (Business Improvement District), and is also in discussions with the landlord to explore what might be possible.”
Michelle added:
“If you look at other boroughs, there are Black cultural centres – we just want the same as they’ve got. We don’t know why we have to fight for Ealing [Council] to help us.
We all remember George Floyd and Black Lives Matter, why when you say ‘Black lives matter’, and we come and ask for something do you slam the door in our face? They matter then, they matter now.
Use your time as Ealing Council to show you are anti-racist by having a building that showcases Black heritage and pulls people together. A lack of education leads to racism – we are here to tackle that.”
A spokesperson for Ealing Council said:
“We recognise the value of the Caribbean and African Collective (CACE) in Ealing as a Black-led cultural and arts organisation in West Ealing.
While the building they currently occupy is privately owned and not under council control, Councillor Polly Knewstub, Cabinet Member for Healthy Equal Lives, has visited the hub, as have council officers, and spoken with the group to help explore possible solutions.”
How has CACE’s move to new premises impacted its community services?
As of August 2025, CACE has been urgently fundraising to secure £65,000 to move into a permanent new location, after being required to leave their temporary space in West Ealing.
Until the move is fully realized, they have operated out of pop-up or interim spaces, which has added pressure but also fostered community visibility and support.
Expanded Programming and Community Engagement: Despite the move, CACE continued to run a regular program of activities such as poetry, creative writing, filmmaking workshops, art exhibitions, table-top sales, business networking, theatre trips, and special events celebrating Black culture. Social media and event platforms show ongoing events, including business speed networking and community meetups, suggesting resilience in community offerings.