Black Voices In Conversation

Adeola Dewis, a presenter for ITV Wales, sat down with Skindred's frontman Benji Webbe to talk about his Welsh roots, and how he strives to bring people together through his band's unique fusion of heavy metal, punk rock and reggae.

After losing both his parents by the age of 12, Benji was raised by his brother and sister - and it was through his brothers’ love of reggae, he started to explore his own love of music.

“Being one of the only black families in the area, you learn quickly that there was a divide - and a lot of it was people not knowing the culture of black people in the town.

"But, growing up in an area where you had Rastas, punk rockers, - it was a big influence on me," Benji explains.

After being inspired by the ska movement, Benji formed Skindred almost twenty years ago - and he told ITV News the secret behind their long-term success is being able to appeal to all different types of people.

ITV Border's Lydia Hamilton-Morl talks to Marcia Reid Fotheringham - one of Cumbria's most influential black women and the county's first black High Sheriff.

Marcia spent most of her life in New York, living through a very significant time for black history. She said: "Most people my age ask me if I had experiences of being a hippy. My answer is always the same - I was too busy being black."

"I grew up with the notion that I needed to be proud of who I am, and, even though there was an awful lot of turmoil, I needed to learn how to stand firm. And I did."

Her Cumbrian journey started at the age of 43, when she made the bold step of moving from the USA to the village of Brampton to live with mountaineer Jim Fotheringham, who she later married.

ITV News' Leah Magras talks to Sharon Watson, CEO and Principal of the Northern School of Contemporary Dance in Leeds.

A leading figure in the dance industry, Sharon uses her years of experience to help young dancers develop their careers. She's is passionate about increasing diversity and inclusivity within the creative industry.

Despite being one of the only black female leaders of a dance school in the UK, Sharon came from humble beginnings. Her talent and determination saw her propelled into a prominent position.

At the age of nine, Sharon fell in love with dance when she attended a dance class at her local school in Leeds. When she turned sixteen, she packed her bags to move to London where she honed her skills and later returned to her home city, where she joined the award-winning all-black dance group Phoenix Dance Theatre as one of its first female dancers.

Sharon often draws on her Caribbean culture as inspiration for her creative pieces. She choreographed a powerful and emotive dance production about the journey of the Windrush generation, which was commended by audiences and critics. She's been widely recognised for her influence, not only in the dance industry, but in society. Among her many accolades, she has received the Yorkshire Woman of the Year award.