Building on a Legacy of Change

Florence Nyasamo at Hub8’s MX in Cheltenham

Who is Florence?

Florence Nyasamo isn’t just a community leader; she’s a force for change. Her tireless advocacy for Black lives in Gloucestershire has reshaped conversations, bridged communities, and sparked transformative action. We met Florence at Hub8’s new co-working space, MX, just weeks after she hosted Cheltenham’s tenth annual Black History Month celebrations in their event space. Dressed in a striking green dress from her Fabrics of Colour collaboration with Cheltenham-born fashion powerhouse Superdry, Florence was a vision of creativity and energy.

This article is part of our ongoing series spotlighting the diverse changemakers shaping our region in culture, sustainability, government, and business. Do you know someone whose story deserves to be told? Get in touch, we'd love to hear about them.

A Father’s Impact

Every great story starts at the beginning. Florence's journey is deeply rooted in her upbringing in Nairobi, Kenya, as one of six siblings.

"I grew up in Nairobi, Kenya, as one of six children: four brothers and two sisters. I left home for boarding school in rural Kenya at nine years old, which, given my gender, was considered a privilege. However, my father was a true egalitarian and never treated us differently based on gender. He firmly believed education was essential for all children."

Her father’s story left an indelible mark on her worldview. Orphaned at ten, Walter’s relentless ambition led him to become an engineer and later pursue theology studies in the UK. Florence recalls his joy in describing snow—a completely foreign concept—to his children in Kenya, weaving tales of the UK with warmth and humour.

Walter’s community work was equally influential. Hosting international volunteers who worked on projects like sustainable farming and construction, he instilled in Florence a belief in the power of collective action. Inspired by his example, Florence left Kenya to pursue higher education in the UK after completing her A-levels.

A New World

Arriving in London for university was an exciting yet challenging chapter for Florence. Adjusting to a new country meant learning everything from navigating public transport to understanding the UK’s unpredictable weather. "Just because the sun is out doesn't mean it’s warm!" she laughs, recalling her early days.

While studying business at Middlesex University, Florence took on a role at John Lewis in Kensington—a job she remembers fondly. Yet it was here that she began noticing the stark inequalities shaping British society, especially the impact of class on migrants.

"The class system was so obvious. One could tell that most of our customers had completely different lifestyles from staff or the locals living nearby." she reflects. "Growing up in Kenya, it was simple: you work hard, and your efforts pay off. Here, your worth is judged by your school, your postcode, even your clothes. It was frustrating to see how much those superficial markers mattered."

This experience opened Florence’s eyes to the systemic barriers many migrants face, fuelling her desire to create spaces where equality and opportunity could flourish.

When asked how she found her community, she admits it was hard. Generally, this occurred organically through work and by introducing herself to people. She explained that she was then invited to parties, weddings, and dinners at people’s private homes, which is how her network grew.

“One of the biggest issues you have as a migrant is isolation and the lack of a safety net. If you fall—it's just you and the system. This is why it’s so important that migrants find each other. We seek family and shared experiences, others to navigate a new world with.”

Building a New Life in Cheltenham

As she started a family, Florence began considering the environment she wanted for her children and remembering her freedoms in rural Kenya. After visiting Cheltenham to see her cousin, she decided this offered a happier, healthier environment for her children.“I was drawn to the fresh air, small communities and slower pace of life.”

"Although I knew the move was right for my family. I now needed to rebuild without a guidebook again. Where do I find information about moving into the area? How do I choose a school? How does the education system work? The local council focused on taxes and citizens' advice, but they didn’t understand what I needed. I am lucky to have had my cousin, but it felt like we had no help. I knew a community existed but didn’t know how to connect with them. I felt like I was surviving in those early years”.

In 2004, Florence returned to Kenya with her daughters. During this visit, she learned of her father’s work in their orphanage school that supported 35 children with education and a food programme. Once back home, she partnered with her neighbour to launch a fundraising campaign for the orphanage, raising £5,000. Florence continued fundraising on other projects and also pursued a politics and community development degree at Gloucestershire University.

A Quietly Inspirational Legacy

In 2009, Florence’s life was marked by the significant loss of her father. Returning to Nairobi for his funeral, she was overwhelmed by the many stories of her father’s kindness and generosity. She learned of numerous charitable efforts he had quietly carried out without sharing. These revelations became a turning point. Once back in the UK, she created the charity NOWANS Community Trust (which is her parents' names combined) to provide financial support for the orphanage school set up by Walter back in 1999.

Their first initiative was a university programme that allowed students to travel to and work at an orphanage school in Kenya for six weeks. They also continued to fundraise through community events.

Florence also became involved with the Gloucestershire-based Kenyan community from Cheltenham’s twin town (since 1985), Kisumu. It was through this connection she learned of the tragic story of one of the first residents, who had passed away in his 30s due to mental health issues.

Florence later became involved with the African Community Foundation Gloucestershire and, in 2013, was surprised to be unanimously voted as its first female chair. This role gave her a platform to redefine how communities in Cheltenham could connect, celebrate, and advocate for their shared interests.

"One of the key things for me when I reflected on communities back in London was how most people would build things looking inwards. I wanted something different. If you want people to engage, you have to be outward-looking. In 2014, I asked: Why doesn't Cheltenham do Black History Month? Which went on to become an annual tradition and one of our most transformational movements."

Florence’s vision for Cheltenham’s Black History Month was celebrating Black culture and fostering an inclusive dialogue across communities. Yet, building this initiative was no small feat.

"The term ‘black’ is political. Some people don’t feel they belong under that umbrella. Many migrants fit different descriptions, such as Asian, and we wanted everyone to feel included. Black History Month was a significant start, but making real change takes more than one month a year. We couldn't rely solely on volunteers to make a real impact and drive powerful change; we needed capacity, time and investment.”

In 2016, Florence was invited to Buckingham Palace to meet Queen Elizabeth II for one of the Queen's Garden Parties after being nominated for her work within the African Community Foundation in Gloucestershire.

"I was amazed that people were invited to the Palace. I was never doing this for recognition. It goes back to growing up with my Father, who tirelessly supported others through the community simply because he believed in it. What motivates me is knowing that 20 years from now, my children or other migrants will have an easier time with the system than I did.”

The Absence of Diverse Stories

Bringing communities together to discuss issues and challenges gave Florence space to ask questions. “A thread that kept coming up was a lack of diverse voices in literature and culture. My children weren’t learning anything about their heritage in school, and the young people we spoke to couldn’t see themselves in the narratives they consumed. When I reflected on my education at a boarding school in Kenya, I realised we, too, were educated in a Western worldview and European history. ”

In 2018, Florence founded Lives of Colour. In collaboration with the Everyman Theatre and Strike Alike, they secured funding from the Heritage National Lottery and launched their first exhibition, ‘I Migrate’ in 2018. Students from The University of Gloucestershire created portrait photography of African people of the Windrush Generation in Gloucestershire. Oral stories were presented alongside the portraits during The Literature Festival and at The Museum of Gloucester.

"It was fascinating to hear and showcase the stories of those in the migrant community. Over a thousand people attended our exhibition during the first two weeks in Gloucester. However, what stood out was how little they felt things had changed since the eighties and nineties. Progress is slow, especially outside of London.”

Superdry x Fabrics of Colour Photoshoot 2023

Growing Communities Through Creativity

One of their primary initiatives is training organisations to improve workplace environments and raise awareness about racial issues. Additionally, Lives of Colour run an Authors of Colour book club for schools, encouraging young readers to explore diverse voices and perspectives.

"Back in 2017, it was discovered that only 1% of children’s books had a black protagonist. This has since increased to 5%, but there is still a long way to go. For example, even in today’s multicultural society, only 1% of kids in the UK choose to study authors of colour at GCSE.”

The 2020 lockdown brought everything to a halt. However, this pause would be short-lived. That same year, through Lives of Colour, Florence co-hosted a vigil in Pittville Park as part of the Black Lives Matter movement. The event drew 5,700 attendees and was later featured on the BBC’s News at Ten, marking a powerful moment of solidarity and awareness in Cheltenham.

Encouraged by the turnout and the vigil's impact, Florence launched Culture Fest in 2022 at Pittville Park supported by Spirax Sarco. Building on this success, Lives of Colour forged collaborations with well-known brands such as Superdry, creating Fabric of Colour.

"Back in 2022, we wanted to bring the community together. Many African women have a print from their home country or tribe in our homes. These are a unique representation of who we are. We secured funding from the National Lottery to buy fabric and collaborated with Superdry. We concluded the project with a photoshoot that showcased the thirty dresses we had made. It has been one of our best collaborations to date.”

Lives of Colour launched Swimmers of Colour in 2022 with Swim Design Space to address the issue that 96% of black adults cannot swim. They received an award in London from Sporting Equals for their work. However, these are just a glimpse of the many initiatives she leads.

"At Lives of Colour, we have five core values and goals that help define us: advice and guidance, community voices, community engagement, health and wellbeing, racial justice and system change. Following these values, we have fifteen projects under each of those headings. For example, our podcast, Mangrove, explores the lives of black men in the UK; this comes under community voices. Culture Fest and Black History Month come under community engagement."

Looking to the Future

The success and recognition of these projects have allowed Lives of Colour to expand its capacity. Although uncomfortable taking the limelight, Florence explains how securing funding has played a critical role in their continued work and in creating new opportunities for their team.

"Funding from the National Community Fund has enabled us to introduce part-time roles for a Coordinator and Education Leader, and funding from Barnwood Trust for our Researcher. The work we will be able to do now is on another level. We have secured funding for a second wave of Fabric of Colour and are looking for our next collaborator.

However exciting our progress, there’s still lots to be done; during roundtable talks in 2020, we discovered that if your child is from an African diaspora or an African Caribbean background growing up in Gloucestershire, they are 5.6% more likely to be excluded from school and ten times more likely to end up in the criminal justice system. Change is slow, but there is an appetite for it, and for me, it's about knowing what we can do to help.”

Learn more

Florence recommends these resources to deepen your understanding of the topics covered: