Cultures enjoy world music, food and dancing

Community group Tassibee organised the Celebrating Diversity Event at Boston Castle, to bring together people from all walks of life.

Almost 1,000 people joined MP Sarah Champion, the Mayor of Rotherham, Cllr Eve Rose Keenan and Boston Castle borough councillors in taking in a wide selection of attractions ranging from a Punch and Judy show, displays from Sheffield Highland Pipers, classic Hindu dancers and Romanian dancers, a funfair and free tasting of foods from around the world, as well as soccer fun on Rotherham United Community Sports Trust’s inflatable football pitch.

Tassibee chief executive Khalida Luqman, who was drenched in an Ice Bucket Challenge, said: “The celebrate event brought people together from the community, through food, entertainment and art people celebrated diversity and learnt appreciated different cultures.”

Ms Champion said: “I have loved today, this is the best of Rotherham.

“It’s celebrating diversity — its bringing the whole community together in a real safe celebration. 

“It is what we need more of in the town, it is what our town is about, not the division you see on the news.

Among those enjoying the fun in the sun was Les Selby, who said: “It is wonderful to see the different children from different cultures playing together, as a team, in the Rotherham United football pitch.”