Martene Carroll

On Wednesday night JRF hosted an audience with former professional footballer Andrew Cole, to talk about his autobiography – Fast Forward: The hard road to football success.

The exciting initiative welcomed the Manchester Utd legend to talk with a special audience, including founder of the Foundation and fellow former professional footballer, Jason Roberts, about his career highs, and some of the challenges he has faced during his life.

A true community man and inspiration, Andrew has been an influential supporter of JRF for more than a decade. In 2010 he launched the Floodlights Programme in Grenada, he frequently visits JRF youth programmes and schools in Brent, and he helped to raise funds for the Foundation in December 2019 when he agreed to be the focus of a special tribute evening.

The select audience at the evenings’ event which was held via Zoom, was made up of Councillors from Brent, JRF Youth Ambassadors and Trustees, as well as some football devotees. They were rewarded by hearing insights into the prolific goal scorer’s career and life, and had the opportunity to ask their own questions.

Cole spent six years with Manchester Utd and won eight major trophies, including the Treble of the Premier League, FA Cup, and UEFA Champions League in 1999, and was capped 15 times for the England National Team.

A synopsis by Waterstones of his autobiography: Fast Forward states; “Much misunderstood, the powerhouse striker sets the record straight about a successful yet complex career.”

The book, which is published by Hodder & Stoughton and features a Foreword written by Sir Alex Ferguson is described as “a thought-provoking and gripping autobiography about Andrew Cole’s determination to succeed against all the odds.”

The Jason Roberts Foundation (JRF) were delighted to host their first ‘Virtual Career Fair’ at the end of the November. The initiative, which is not the first Careers Fair the foundation has hosted, was certainly a different approach to the normal format of face-to-face interaction that visitors are accustomed to. Although this virtual offering was something born from circumstance rather than choice, it proved to be a big success.

The format and execution were simple, as the charity listened to five key-note speakers from local and national organisations who informed viewers on the opportunities for training, employment, and development within their sector and specifically the company they represent.

The Royal Air Force, St George Property Developers, University Campus of Football Business (UCFB), Network Rail, and Brent Works, were all given a short time slot to deliver their presentation, expertly facilitated by Jo Tongue from Tongue Tied Management and Trustee of JRF.

The 90-minute live broadcast gave viewers the opportunity, to remotely interact and ask questions of the presenters, enabling them to discover more about the opportunities available to them, and to obtain valuable key contacts and careers advice.

Otis Roberts, CEO for JRF said: “The success of our previous Careers Fairs has meant they have become a mainstay in our operational calendar. However, the impact of COVID-19 on peoples’ livelihoods and future employment prospects meant it was more important than ever to deliver a Careers event. We had to think innovatively to be able to overcome the restrictions and to find a way to deliver this. I’m pleased that, despite the hurdles, we were able to deliver this, thanks to the involvement of the organisations that generously gave their time and expertise. We will certainly look to deliver more online Careers Fairs in the future.’

If you missed the live event, a Highlights reel is available https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uEFGSg8rWhw providing the information needed to take your next step in your career journey.

For more information, please contact info@:jasonrobertsfoundation.com

JRF were thrilled to be approached by the Office of Dawn Butler MP for Brent Central, to feature on a virtual Christmas advent calendar.

Rather than delivering a calendar constituency wide, Dawn wanted to create a virtual calendar to promote the work of charities, schools, and community groups in Brent, to cover “the great, and often unsung, work being delivered to those that desperately need it.”

JRF was chosen as one of the charities to highlight in the advent calendar because, they said “Your work has been invaluable during this time and Dawn would love to share your stories about all that you are doing!”

Dawn Butler is a British Labour Party politician who is Member of Parliament for Brent Central since 2015. Butler served as Shadow Secretary of State for Women and Equalities in Jeremy Corbyn’s Shadow Cabinet from 2017 to 2020 and MP for Brent South from 2005 to 2010.

JRF feature on Door 9 which can be seen via the following link: https://calendar.myadvent.net/?id=13c2b94998cf8aca3f71dde332010600&door=9&door=9

In football they say that you are only as good as the team around you which is certainly the case for the Jason Roberts Foundation (JRF). When they were approached by Brent-based C&C Builders, with a proposal from them to make a regular donation to the charity, the team at JRF were delighted.

Established in 2004, with many years of experience in the construction industry, C&C Builders aim is to provide the highest quality for its clients. Their work includes disabled adaptations, home building and renovations for Local Authorities, Commercial Businesses, and private Individuals. The professionalism of the firm and their workmanship is evident from the redecoration work they carried out earlier this year at Bridgestone Arena, JRF’s hub in the heart of Stonebridge.

Martene Carroll, Business Development Manager for JRF said; “The generosity of spirit C&C Builders has shown should be applauded. During this last year that has proven particularly challenging for businesses, charities, and individuals, it is heartening that the Directors of this local firm are thinking of their community by supporting a charity that puts community first.”

The building firm also regularly highlights the work of JRF through their own media platforms and have had their vehicles wrapped with JRF branding. Community really is at the forefront of their thinking as they promote their association with the foundation while they work in residential homes and businesses across Brent, Ealing, Hounslow, Islington, Kensington, and Southwark.

A representative from C&C Builders commented; “We are extremely proud to be associated with JRF and to support the outstanding work and dedication they provide to the people of Brent. We really feel that JRF make a huge difference within the communities they reach out to.

We look to maintain our long-term working relationship with the JRF and are proud to continue to support the foundation to enable them to continue to meet their ambitions and goals.”

For more information on C&C Builders please visit www.ccbuildersltd.com or call 0203 667 2563.

The JRF team were thrilled to  receive a donation from Capital City Academy, for funds raised as part of the school’s Black History Month event.

JRF is well-known to the teaching staff and many of the students of Capital City Academy, who regularly attend the sports and fitness sessions delivered by JRF at Bridgestone Arena.

Jason Roberts, MBE, founder of the charity, took the time to record a special video thanking everyone at the school for their contribution in raising funds, and for thinking of the Foundation to receive the donation.

The video will be shown in the different tutor groups over the course of this week.

In the video Jason said, “I feel very fortunate to have had an upbringing in the Brent, Harlesden community, that looks after each other so well.”

He talked about the importance of community and retaining links with where you were brought up, saying “Brent is a community that is so proud of it’s heritage and somewhere that has produced some amazing people, who have used the opportunities afforded to them by the community.”

Jason thanked Capital City Academy saying, “It means a lot for you to think of us (JRF) and I’m very proud that you consider our work valuable enough to invest in and fundraise for.”

A representative from Capital City Academy said “As an academy with a history embedded in sports, it was only right that we chose the Jason Roberts Foundation as our charity to make this donation. The JRF are part of our local community and the tireless work that they continue to provide towards the development and wellbeing of our youth, is strongly aligned with our core values as an educational institution. Capital City Academy looks forward to collaborative projects with the JRF in the near future!”

Follow the work of JRF via Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook @JasonRobertsFdn