He lived in Brockley, South East London for 40 years and is survived by his wife Colline Dyer, daughter Deniece Dyer, grand-daughter Isla D’Souza and three sisters. 

For George, the struggle was familiar to those of his parents.  Following his father’s footsteps, he carved a career from humble beginnings as an apprentice eventually setting up his unassuming shop ‘Threadneedle Man’ in South East London which served the community for over 30 years, with some high-profile commissions around the world.

George is a true testimony to what one can achieve and the legacy that many can imitate. He inspired a lot of admiration and curiosity through his craftsmanship and genuine nature. One of his memorable quotes was ‘You must find something you love and try to do it as your work and then you’ll never be bored. I’m here because I’m good at what I do, and I surround myself with people who spread the gospel’.  What wise words.  George represented a generation of honest-hearted, honest-working individuals that is a rare treasure today. 

Although I didn’t know him personally, I was warmed to him because I could see and from what his many customers and those who know him said about him, that he stood for something I continue to endorse in my own life, that of resilience despite challenges. In 2015 George was awarded a custom-made Southwark Heritage blue plaque by his local residents, and rightly so. 

He was not only a great and intelligent man, but an expert tailor and he will be missed by many who had the pleasure of knowing him personally.  The blue plaque will serve as a permanent historical marker to commemorate the link of this ‘unsung hero’ to the local community for generations to come.

Our global black history though is sadly obscured when it comes to icons and unsung heroes.  One would immediately think of the great works of pioneers such as Dr Martin Luther King, Rosa Parks, Nelson Mandela, Sidney Poitier who in their rights have made an impact and shaped our history, but these people although great, are not unique, surely there must be thousands of achievers like them amongst us who simply have received little, or no recognition, however, nevertheless deserve to be celebrated for their accomplishments and contribution to the world scene.

For that reason alone, we should know their names, know their stories, know how they contributed to solving challenges in society and recognise the admirable place they hold in not only black history, but history.

The question of why our heroes continues to be ‘hidden’ in plain sight has always perplexed me.  I remember after watching the powerful and critically acclaimed film ‘Hidden figures’ all sorts of emotions was running through me at the same time – happy, sad, disappointed, inspired, enlightened, angry.

Why had I not heard about Katherine Johnson, the key black American mathematician whose calculations of orbital mechanics as a NASA employee were critical to the success of the first and subsequent U.S. crewed spaceflights?

All those years we’ve learned about space and NASA, the two names that automatically took centre stage were John Glenn and Neil Armstrong.

Like George Dyer, there are many unsung black heroes that have contributed to the world. Are we doing enough to raise awareness of our own achievements?

Are we doing enough to preserve our heritage?

Are we singing our own praises? 

Are we sharing our stories with our children, the next generation? 

The Black Cultural Archives was set up to collect, preserve and celebrate the histories of African and Caribbean people in Britain. 

In partnership with Transport for London, it has launched a Black History Tube map to acknowledge and celebrate the rich and varied contribution Black people have made to London and the UK, from Pre-Tudor times to the present day. 

The reimagined map replaces station names across the iconic Tube map with notable black people from history, with the associated Tube lines renamed to link them together by common themes – Firsts and Trailblazers; Georgians; Sports; Arts; LGBT+; Physicians; Performers; Literary World, and Community Organisers.

By doing so, the map aims to highlight how Black people have played an intrinsic role in all parts of British life for thousands of years.  This is one great step to mitigate the disappearance of our black heroes – but let’s see more organisations, more campaigns, more legislations that actively contribute to keeping us alive, in focus and in the limelight.

We really do have a history to celebrate, one that needs to be recovered, reinstated, and recognised for all its worth. London has a rich black history that stretches back to the Roman period, from artists to politicians. 

Its not about erasing our past but excavating it and understanding how it continues to shape the present and future, and acknowledging the many talents and achievements, of those amongst us.

The case of ‘Child Q’ the black pupil who was strip-searched at her school sickened me, not only as a mother of teenagers, but as a female, and a human being. Sparking days of protests, social and Government interventions, this was, according to the Policing Minister Kit Malthouse “extremely serious.”

A safeguarding report found the search on the 15-year-old girl, was unjustified and racism was “likely” to have been a factor.  What I do find troubling is that nobody within the school environment where pupils should feel safe, was exercising due diligence to protect the girl or at least contact her parents.  Regardless of what the teachers in question believed and what information was fed to the police, someone between the two authorities should have been responsible and integral to the victim’s dignity as a child and a human being. 

Colour should not be in picture, but I fear in this instance that the action of the teacher and police would be starkly different had it been a white child. Sadly, this experience will have been traumatic for the child involved and I can only imagine the ongoing impact on her social and mental welfare going forward.  Its yet another setback in the ongoing challenge to treat others fairly and without prejudice no matter their race, age, or background.

So, we barely turned the corner with the pandemic to be faced with the atrocities and needless deaths of Ukraine war and now to be hit with the huge economic shift as a result. According to Bloomberg “Britain’s inflation rate reached a new 30-year high of 6.2% last month, triple the Bank of England’s target, government data showed.”

Energy, recreation, food, and clothing are all seeing unprecedented rises. Although this will have a serious effect on spending and budgeting for all, it will also bring into question the spend power of the black diaspora.

We’ve long known, and according to new research from the Black Pound Report 2022 produced by culture change consultancy Backlight, multi-ethnic consumers are becoming an increasingly important economic force. We need to continue to champion inclusion and diversity in businesses, organisations, media – because people will only be loyal to brands who are culturally relevant, socially responsible, cognizant, as well as authentic. 

Compounded by systemic racism, failure of the British education system, and general hard times are some of the reasons that have prompted the rise of ‘Blaxit’ or ‘Brexodus’- black British families choosing to go ‘back home’ for good.

Not just from the UK, but Americans alike are shifting grounds and ‘going home’ laying the foundation for a better life. The constant reminder that black people are on the frontline for abuse and prejudice has sadly promoted their decision to leave.

Compounded by systemic racism, failure of the British education system, and general hard times are some of the reasons that have prompted the rise of ‘Blaxit’ or ‘Brexodus’- black British families choosing to go ‘back home’ for good.

Not just from the UK, but Americans alike are shifting grounds and ‘going home’ laying the foundation for a better life. The constant reminder that black people are on the frontline for abuse and prejudice has sadly promoted their decision to leave.

ITV news is working in conjunction with the National Diversity Awards to spotlight role models and community organisations across regional and national news channels. Sir Lenny Henry is amongst the celebrities actively supporting the diversity agenda. The pioneering awards has paid tribute to over one thousand grass root charities and diversity champions since its inception. Nominations close on 20 May.

Tara Collingwoode-Williams is an expert in the tech field and one to reckon with. Well-armed with the multiple facets of the Metaverse, a collective virtual open space, created by the convergence of virtually enhanced physical and digital reality, Tara is on a mission to ensure that black people are represented in this nascent space, including the avatar and reinforcing the importance of black people steering the development in terms of what these platforms look like.

I love her passion. “Larger selections of Afro styles, for example, Bantu knots, box braids. Black inspired accessories. Do you see something missing? You can bring it to the Metaverse. You can bring it.” – Tara Collingwoode-Williams.

A recent report found that “The Home Office has failed to make the “cultural changes required” in proposals to help victims affected by the Windrush scandal after being accused of overstating their progress”. 

Independent Advisor Wendy Williams praised some of Government’s improvements but expressed disappointment in the unfulfilled “profound cultural and systemic changes” and accused the Home Office of overstating its actual progress. 

This continues adds to the shame and continued injustice that of the £37 million paid out for 993 submitted claims, 3,618 people still remain without any form of compensation.

Although we cannot avoid the negative or thoughtless things that make up our environment, we at Black Wall Street Media continue to inspire our audience through this positive and creative platform where we share, encourage and uplift one another.