Sir Lenny Henry joins campaign to champion region’s creative sector

Create Central, the West Midlands trade body for the creative content sector, has welcomed Sir Lenny Henry to its membership.

Create Central chair Ed Shedd said: “I’m delighted to announce that Sir Lenny Henry has agreed to be a Create Central champion, alongside Steven Knight, Adil Ray, Marverine Cole, Angela Ferreira, and more amazing industry leaders.

“They’ve all agreed to be Create Central Champions because they believe, as we do, that investment in the creative industries is essential to our economic recovery and the future of our amazing home-grown talent that, all too often, we see leaving the region.”

Launched in October 2019, Create Central kicked off its programme of delivery in the summer of 2020, since then its membership of industry leaders has expanded to include some of the most successful TV, film, games and wider creative content business leaders.

Sir Lenny said: “I was born and raised in the Black Country, but began my career in 1975 in Birmingham. The second city and its creativity means a great deal to me. I am passionate about authentic Midlands’ voices taking their rightful place in the spotlight. With our very own content centre encouraging new talent, access to funding and studio resources we can do all this and more.”

Journalist and broadcaster Marverine Cole said: “One of my missions as a Create Central Champion is to help young people get their chance to work here in the West Midlands in the thriving creative content sector.”

Andy Street, the Mayor of the West Midlands and chair of the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA), said: “In the heart of the UK and the home of hits like Peaky Blinders, Man Like Mobeen, Gadget Show, Great British Menu and Small Axe, we are increasingly asserting ourselves as a creative powerhouse. Not only is this wonderful news in its own right, it is also leading to lots of exciting and rewarding career opportunities for local people.

“Now, to help take us to the next step alongside significant investments, I am delighted we have appointed some of our region’s best creative sons and daughters to become Create Central Champions. I can’t think of a better group to help raise the profile of the West Midlands both within the UK and abroad, and I know they will help grow our creative sector from strength to strength.”