I am Aubyn Graham, a former Mayor of London Borough of Southwark (1996).

I came to the UK from St Mary Jamaica in the 60s, aged 16, as a student. I gained a Diploma in Economic and Social Studies and Certificate in Adult Education Teacher in the 70s. I am currently an amateur football referee and voluntary social care worker. However my work experience include railway clerk, decades of continuous community development work and 27 years as local counsellor in Southwark. For more than 8 years I had responsibility for leisure services and performing arts. I consider myself to be calm, kind, sociable and decisive.

I was always passionate about music, dancing and wanting to play a musical instrument. I occasionally saw local grandparents dance quadrille at blues dances. In 1986 I saw quadrille performed in the UK at the Black Elderly Group in Southwark, and again by JÁNUKA in 2019. It reminded me of my Jamaican roots, my African descendants, their cultural traditions and the importance of dance to their way of life, for community development.

I was encouraged to join JÁNUKA in 2022. The dance group enables me to fulfil my childhood dream of participating in the performing arts in a special way; celebrating Caribbean culture, folklore and the legacy of our African ancestors’ legendary rhythms. JÁNUKA is a valuable cultural performing arts group serving the community.