08:00, 20 August 2025
Words by Cheyanne Bryan, Editorial and Campaign Marketing Executive, London
Notting Hill Carnival is one of the largest cultural events in the UK. Celebrating the vibrancy and diversity of Caribbean culture and Black Britons in the UK.
To kick off the festivities here at Smiley News, we want to celebrate the charities and other partner organisations that help make this event happen every year.
Many don’t know who actually organises the street festival, but Carnival Village Trust has been dedicated to supporting and preserving the rich cultural heritage of the UK’s Caribbean Carnival traditions. They provide a platform for emerging talent, support community projects, and offer resources for artists, performers, and carnival organisers.
The trust’s core mission is to build a sustainable future for the UK’s carnival community while ensuring its relevance in modern culture. They also run programs aimed at promoting health, education, and social cohesion within local communities, using the carnival arts as a tool for change.
Located in the heart of North Kensington, The ClementJames Centre is an award-winning charity that blends the spirit of Carnival with education and empowerment. Young people are offered the chance to learn traditional steelpan music, design and create Carnival costumes, and take part in mentoring schemes that help unlock their academic and personal potential.
By combining creative expression with structured support, the Centre fosters a sense of belonging and pride in local heritage, while also opening up new educational and career opportunities. It’s a space where culture, confidence, and aspiration come together to inspire the next generation.
As an event designed for all ages, children are well and truly a part of the cultural celebrations. Hosted by the Venture Community Association, Venture Kids is a joyful, creative initiative that invites children from all over North Kensington to design and showcase their own Carnival costumes for a fun summer activity!
With guidance from local artists and volunteers, participants learn not only the skills of costume-making and performance but also build confidence, teamwork, and cultural pride. The programme is deeply rooted in community spirit, celebrating the rich heritage of Carnival while giving children a platform to express themselves.
Many may not know this charity by name, but their work is easily recognisable. The Nubian Jak Community Trust (NJCT) puts up iconic blue plaques, which honour significant Black British figures and historical moments often overlooked by mainstream narratives.
Since their founding in 2006, many notable figures have had a plaque dedicated to them, this includes the pioneers of Notting Hill Carnival, which commemorates their enduring cultural and social contributions. By placing these markers across the UK, the Trust ensures that the stories of Black British communities are visible, celebrated, and remembered, playing a crucial role in preserving and promoting the legacy of those who helped shape modern multicultural Britain.
As proud descendants of African immigrants, Sabrina and Idris Elba founded the Elba Hope Foundation to invest in solutions focused on empowerment through education, economic opportunity, and entrepreneurship.
Their DSYF (Don’t Stop Your Future) campaign advocates for youth justice and putting a stop to knife crime. Using Carnival as a platform, not only for celebration but as a call to action, their work honours the beginnings of the event as a vehicle for change. By engaging with at-risk youth through workshops, parades, and community events, the organisations provide the tools and support needed to build safer, more hopeful futures. Their message is clear: creativity, culture, and community can be powerful forces for transformation.
At Smiley Movement, we elevate the work of charities across the world. Here are three charities whose causes align with the themes in this post.
Carnival Village Trust. This is aUK-based organisation dedicated to celebrating and promoting Caribbean carnival arts, culture, and heritage. Find out more.
Elba Hope Foundation. Started by Idris and Sabrina Elba, this foundation looks to empower youth with lifechanging campaigns focusing on ending knife crime, skill building and education. Learn more here.
Nubian Jak Community Trust. This British nonprofit organisation commemorates Black and minority ethnic achievements through plaques and educational projects. It aims to promote diversity and inclusion by highlighting underrepresented historical figures across the UK. Support them here.
This article aligns with the SDG Reduced Inequalities, Sustainable Cities and Communities.
