Profile

Consultant Profile

Portrait: David Severn (2018)

Dr Norma Jacqueline Gregory (DLitt, MA, BA, PGCE, PG Cert.)

For almost thirty years, Norma Gregory  has researched and produced quality, heritage-related media products, educational resources and exhibitions in relation to African diaspora experiences in the UK, helping to develop, expand and enrich available, diverse heritage as well as helping to address misrepresentations of history.

Her company, Nottingham News Centre CIC, founded in 2013, works in active partnerships with national and international organisations, seeking to co-create, enhance and expand current heritage provision and to promote heritage education access for all, across the globe.

Norma has made important contributions to heritage and media: from print and broadcast media production, new publications, touring exhibitions, new artwork commissions, displays and memorials. She has also many conducted many lectures and presentations to enhance public knowledge regarding heritage, diversity, inclusion and the celebration of African history and diverse heritage into mainstream settings.

Through her social enterprise, Norma regularly sponsors and supports events and activities that promote diverse heritage education, equality diversity and inclusion  (EDI) for all.

Diverse heritage achievements & contributions to knowledge

Coal Miners of African Caribbean Heritage 

Digging Deep Exhibition – Curator /Tour Manager

George Africanus (c1763-1834) Heritage Preservation & Education

Podcasts, radio and other broadcast media output

Books, academic journal articles & conference papers

Research participant (volunteer/ consultant) 

 

  • ‘Decolonising the BBC Archive: Radio News and the language of race in post- WWII Britain’ by Dr Eleni Liarou (Dept of Film Media and Cultural Studies) Birkbeck University, University of London, 2022

  • ‘Enhancing the Mines to Market Performance of Kenya’s Gemstone’, by Professor Judy Muthuri (Nottingham University Business School), 2022. External supporting partner/ consultant 

  • ‘Women Entrepreneurs and Legitimation’ by Dr Isobel O’Neil (Nottingham University Business School) and Dr Janine Swail (University of Auckland, New Zealand), 2016 – 2019. Research participant and learning resource developer.
  • ‘The role of the Black Community in the Miners’ Strike of 1984/5′ by Lucy Cann (UCL, University of London). A selection of quotes from audio recordings with former coal miners included in dissertation (and referenced), 2016. 
  • Listing in the Black British History Directory (Institute of Commonwealth Studies, School of Advanced Study, University of London) https://blackbritishhistory.co.uk/2015/norma-gregory/

Nottingham Carnival Heritage Preservation

Community heritage work

Biography

Norma Jacqueline Gregory was born in Nottingham in 1969. The daughter of 1960s Jamaican migrants, Norma sought self-development by generating knowledge through her love of education, literature, the arts, media and in particular, African history linked to the UK.

Norma currently works as an equality, diversity inclusion (EDI) heritage consultant, historian and curator within the heritage sector. She is director and founder of Nottingham News Centre CIC (see www.nottinghamnewscentre.com) a heritage and community media organisation, established in 2013, researching and preserving diverse heritage news, providing heritage management support to various organisations and facilitating the production and dissemination of heritage educational resources.

Norma Gregory completed many years of mentoring young people and teaching employment in various schools and higher education institutions across London and Nottingham, which encouraged her to pursue her goals of personal and professional autonomy as an educator, author, speaker and media producer. She is an honoured recipient of an Alumni Laureate Award 2017 presented by the University of Nottingham.

With almost thirty year’s experience in educational and media settings Norma says, “On a more personal note, in my early adult life, I found my formal, re-education to be my ‘lifeline’ in both its metaphorical and literal sense. I started reading books earnestly and with passion took the steps towards personal renewal through further and then higher education. I have never looked back since then and now relish opportunities to progress and to support organisations and individuals through my work in media and the heritage sector.”

Academic summary

  • UCL Institute of Education, University of London (MA degree in Effective Learning / Pedagogy, 2001-2005) 
  • University of Nottingham (PGCE/GTP Certificate in Education, Secondary English, 2009-2010)
  • St Mary’s University, Twickenham London (BA Hons. degree in English Literature/Language with Theology & Religious Studies, 1996-1999)
  • Liverpool John Moores University (Post. Grad Certificate in Learning Mentoring, distance learning, 2004) Distinction. 
  • College of North East London (CONEL) Radio & Print Journalism (City & Guilds) gained in 1996 (awarded in 1997) Distinction. 

Artistic / Curatorial summary

  • Royal College of Art, London (Curating Contemporary Art and Design: Theory and Practice) July 2019
  • Norma Gregory’s heritage research and heritage management activities have included collating and sharing oral histories from coal miners of African heritage from across the UK, through the receipt of National Heritage Lottery Awards. Norma has been a successful heritage project manager for various organisations and initiatives and led the heritage project collating a history of the Nottingham Carnival, in association with Tuntum Housing Association, Nottingham see https://nottinghamcarnivalheritage.com/?page.id=11694.
  • Curator, Digging Deep Exhibition (national touring from 2018-)

In October 2014, Norma Gregory orchestrated and sponsored (through Nottingham News Centre) the first blue heritage plaque in the City of Nottingham for George Africanus (c1763-1834) with the support of Nottingham City Council and partnership work with Nubian Jak Community Trust blue plaque scheme, London. This initiative formally commemorated the place of residence for George Africanus and family on Victoria St (formerly Chandler’s Lane) Nottingham, the location of his business and many life achievements of an 18th century entrepreneur of African heritage, in the city of Nottingham, researched into by Belong Nottingham, Chris Weir, Rosanna Ottewell, Stella Postles, Len Garrison, Ray Gale among many others.

In August 2015, Nottingham Express Transit (NET) and Nottingham City Council launched the George Africanus tram, unveiled by Norma Gregory and Councillor Jane Urquhart. Norma has since launched the George Africanus Society UK through social media to promote knowledge sharing and education.
through history. See https://www.thetram.net/tram-named-in-honour-of-nottinghams-first-black-entrepreneur.aspx#TramNamedInHonourOfNottingham’sFirstBlackEntrepreneur

Speaker & Presenter

Norma Gregory has been a guest speaker at the following organisations and institutions:

  • Durham University, Ustinov College, Anthropology Dept. lecture, October 2022
  • The Coal Authority, Nottinghamshire, presentation and staff training, October 2022
  • Nottingham Trent University, Centre for the Study of Inequality, Culture and Difference, July 2022 
  • Birkbeck University London, ‘What is Public History Now?’ public workshop, July 2022
  • Social History Curators’ Group (SHCG) Conference, October 2021
  • Holy Family Catholic Primary School, Ealing London, history presentation to Yr 5 pupils, October 2021
  • The Common Room of the Great North (formerly The Mining Institute) Newcastle, public lecture, October 2021
  • ‘Unity in the Community’ (Nottingham), public talk, October 2021
  • ‘On behalf of the People: Work, Community and Class in the British Coal Industry 1947-1994’ symposium, Loughborough, September 2021
  • Association of Anaesthesia, Annual Congress, September 2021 
  • Windrush Day 2021, partnership event with Doncaster City Council & Doncaster African Caribbean Support Group, CAST Cinema Doncaster, 22nd June 2021
  • Windrush Day 2021, Nottinghamshire Primary Care Racial Equity & Diversity Working Group, 22nd June 2021
  • Migration Museum, Migration Network North East and Yorkshire event, 26th January 2021
  • Llafur – Welsh People’s History Society 2020 Conference, December 2020
  • Womanzvue, Windrush Generation, honour and reflection presentation,  23rd June 2021
  • Womanzvue, Literary Evening celebrating Black writing, December 2020
  • Archivist & Record Keepers Association (ARA), online webinar on equality and diversity, June 2020
  • International Woman’s Day 2020, The Entrepreneur Collection Chapter 4, March 2020
  • International Women’s Day 2020, University of Nottingham, March 2020
  • Frederick Douglass Centre, Newcastle University, November 2019, official opening of the new building, November 2019
  • Probation Service, Nottingham, November 2019 ( staff training & presentation) and October 2021
  • Coal Authority, Nottinghamshire, October 2019
  • UNITE Holborn London (Annual Black History Month Event), October 2019
  • Black Achievers Awards Nottingham, October 2019
  • Labour Group, Porchester Branch Nottinghamshire, October 2019
  • JUNO Women’s Aid Nottingham & Nottinghamshire, October 2019
  • National Coal Mining Museum, Wakefield, Yorkshire 2019 (formal opening of Digging Deep exhibition 21/09/19)
  • ‘Migrants and Minorities in British Coalmining’, Nottingham Trent University Conference,  speaker, July 2019
  • St Leonard’s Labour Group London (Streatham Labour Film screening of ‘The Battle of Orgreave’ and panel discussion) 2019
  • University of Reading (joint presentation in Nottingham), 2019
  • Preston Black History Group, 2018
  • Huddersfield Windrush Festival, 2018
  • New Art Exchange, Nottingham, Digging Deep Photography Exhibition, 2018
  • English Heritage ‘Irreplaceable: A History of England in 10 Places (podcasts), Power, Protest & Progress’
  • Oral History Society Conference, Belfast, Ireland, 2018
  • Black Miners’ National Reunion event, April, 2018
  • Leicester Black Workers Group, Leicester City Council, October 2018
  • University of Strathclyde, Scottish Oral History Centre
  • University of Nottingham
  • Nottingham Trent University
  • Birmingham University
  • Institute of Commonwealth Studies, School of Advanced Study University of London. What’s Happening in Black History? Workshops: II (University of Liverpool); IV (Bristol); VII (University of London)
  • National Black Cultural Archives, Brixton, London
  • NewVic Sixth Form College, East London
  • Nottinghamshire Family History Society
  • Nottingham Women’s History Group
  • Martin Jackman Centre, Nottingham
  • Marcus Garvey Centre, Nottingham
  • Framework Housing Association, Nottingham
  • Waterstones Bookshop, Nottingham
  • Five Leaves Bookshop, Nottingham
  • The Phenomenal Woman’s National Book Tour with fellow authors: Debbie Martin-Garcia, Amanda Epe,Eva Brown and Jenice Revers. DATES: London 18/0715, Nottingham 25/07/15, Birmingham 29/08/15 and Manchester 04/09/15.
  • Nottingham’s 4th Youth Heritage Conference
  • Backlit Nottingham – ‘Samuel Morley Threads’ Heritage Project
  • ‘Celebrating Diversity and Heritage in the East Midlands’, Lottery Heritage Fund
  • BexLive Enterprise Awards, Wolverhampton
  • Black Ballad, London (UK based lifestyle platform)

Authored Books & Writings

Norma Gregory has written and published many articles and academic papers over the years concerning her topics of interest being: black British literary and social history, early narratives of the African diaspora with links to Britain, Black British writers and personalities, black history in Nottingham, the Midlands and UK, black feminist theology and literature as well as producing community heritage news from diverse communities in Nottingham.

Examples of published books include:

Crooked Carousel: Selected Poetry (Nottingham News Centre Publishing, 2016), reflecting the challenges and achievements of Black British womanist experiences and desires embedded within displaced British cultural, religious and postmodern contexts.

Jamaicans in Nottingham, Narratives and Reflections (Hansib Publications, 2015) has enabled Norma to share her oral history research gathered from pioneering Jamaicans in Nottingham with local, national and international audiences.

She is committed to community development (on personal and professional levels) and an advocate for equality and inclusion through education and publishing.

Awards (recipient)

  • University of Nottingham, Norma Gregory, Doctor of Letters (DLitt) honours causa, winter 2023
  • Gedling Borough Council, Nottinghamshire, ‘Pride of Gedling Awards’ 2023, Best Community Project winner, ‘Digging Deep Heritage Project’ 
  • UK Social Enterprise Awards 2023, ‘Social Enterprise Women’s Champion of the Year’ for Nottingham News Centre CIC 
  • Social Enterprise Support Fund (2022)
  • Nottingham City Council Heritage Partnership, Heritage Champion 2020
  • Sandford Award for Informal Learning (SAIL) 2019
  • Windrush Awards 2018 (Nottingham), Inspirational Leadership Award
  • Alumni Laureate Award 2017, University of Nottingham
  • Mayor of Nottingham formal commendation, 2017
  • Black Achievers’ Awards 2016 (Nottingham): Category for Arts, Culture & Music (Best Female)
  • BexLive Black Enterprise Awards 2016 (Birmingham): Community Champion
  • Heritage Lottery Funding, HLF (2015-2016 & 2017-2019, 2019-2021)
  • Associate Member, Postcolonial Studies Centre (Nottingham Trent University)
  • Big Lottery Fund, Awards for All, 2007 & 2013
  • Millennium Commission Award, 2000 ‘Black British Poets’ media project.
  • Oral History Society Conference 2018, June 28-29, Queens University Belfast Ireland, Bursary Award recipient. Speaker (29.06.2018).

Award nominations (shortlisted)

  • Museum Association Awards 2020, ‘Radical Changemaker Award’ 
  • Gedling Borough Council, Awards International Women’s Day, Woman of Influence – Finalist, 2017
  • Women4Africa 2016: Community Leader of the Year
  • Excellence in Diversity Award 2016: Education Sector
  • BexLive Awards 2015 (Birmingham): Diverse Enterprise
  • BEFFTA Awards 2015 (London): Best Author

As Sponsor

  • Black Achievers Award, 2019 (Nottingham)
  • BexLive Enterprise Awards, 2017 (Wolverhampton) and presenter of the ‘Diverse Company/organisation’ award.

Board Member / Directorships / Memberships

  • National Coal Mining Museum for England: Trustee Non-Executive Director, (November 2018- November 2020)
  • Royal Television Society, member from January 2021
  • UNESCO, Nottingham City of Literature: (Collaborative Board member, from July 2018)

Diverse Heritage Services

(+44) 07984 825482

norma@nottinghamnewscentre.com

info@nottinghamnewscentre.com

or

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CIC UK registration no. 08576446

Registered address:

Castle Cavendish Business Centre
C/O RM Accounts
Dorking Road
Nottingham
England UK
NG7 5PN

(+44 UK) 07984 825482

(+44 UK) 0115 8713819

norma@nottinghamnewscentre.com

info@nottinghamnewscentre.com