Did you hear about the groups of tourists that descended on Notting Hill during the August bank holiday weekend to attend what they thought most likely to be something similar to a village fete – cake sales and tombolas – in fact what they thought would epitomise the blockbuster film, Notting Hill – in which may I add there is not a single black person? Anyway what they got was Notting Hill Carnival.

Anyone who has been will know that tombola prize draws and cake sales are not even close to the steel pan drums and pineapple punch of Notting Hill Carnival, which is also the biggest street carnival in Europe and has been going for over 40 years.

Many people forget or are not aware of the fact that the carnival takes place as a celebration of the abolition of the slave trade ?