Martene Carroll, Author at Jason Roberts Foundation

Rain doesn’t stop play at Summer Sports Jam

A group of ladies with fitness instructor Nines who delivers the Run Club

Sunday 30^th July 2023

Despite a rainy July day, JRF’s Summer Sports Jam at Bridgestone Arena NW10 went ahead, and was well attended by a large number of Brent residents.

The Summer Sports Jam event marked the end of JRF’s popular 9-month ‘Our Time Zone’ project – an Adults Sport, Social, and Health Club, funded by You Decide Brent Health Matters.

As well as a range of activities including Dance, Salsa, Walking Football, Dominos and Table Tennis, trial matches for the over 50s and 60s Caribbean team were held for the forthcoming 2023 Walking Football World Cup of Nations.

With many of the activities being held inside due to the unseasonal weather, the crowd had a chance to speak with some of the Health professionals in attendance, as well as seeking tips and advice from some of the qualified fitness coaches who have worked on the ‘Our Time Zone’ project, including Nines who delivers the Run Club each Tuesday.

A musical performance from award winning artist, Junior Giscombe, perhaps best known for his 1982 hit single, “Mama Used to Say” got the audience on their feet dancing and singing along to his well-loved hit songs well into the evening.

Feedback from those who have taken part in JRF’s ‘Our Time Zone’ project and who enjoyed the Summer Sports Jam Event included;

“A great event, good company, and community vibe.”

“It’s nice to have a place where adults feel valued.”

“Love coming to Brent. It’s such a beautiful moment seeing the older community so happy.”

“It may be raining outside but in my heart it’s spring.”

“We keep fit every Tuesday. It’s great for our mental health.”

Nines who runs the weekly Run Club added, “We set out to create a safe space for the local community to come to and have access to health checks and services they wouldn’t normally be able to reach. A lot of people need a push or don’t have the time. It’s great that the service meets the needs of the community and offers them a place where they can gather and socialise while keeping healthy. It’s a fantastic approach.”

Otis Roberts, CEO of JRF said of the Brent Health Matters funded project; “It has been and wonderful and eye opening nine months. From the engagement of the post-covid elders, to the female empowerment sessions, to the health workshops, and ‘Meet your GP’ sessions, this is just the beginning of something special in our Borough and we are particularly pleased that the local community have co-designed the project with us.”

Martene Carroll In Awards & Grants

JRF Awarded Grant from the Hyde Charitable Trust

The JRF team are excited to announce they have been awarded a 3-year Grant from the Hyde Charitable Trust to deliver the ‘JRF in the Community’ Project.

The Sport for development project aims to build community engagement and increase sports participation by delivering a range of fun, accessible, and exciting activities including multi-sports, team games, and fitness sessions.

There will be Personal and social development training incorporating careers workshops, life-skills, and financial literacy sessions, as well as volunteering and training opportunities to enhance skills, qualifications, and career prospects.

Mentoring and progression pathways will engage the most marginalised and isolated in the local community, to develop confidence and enhance self-esteem through creative endeavours and, ‘Find your Voice’ media sessions.

The ‘JRF in the Community’ project caters for the entire Brent community to encourage everyone to participate in and enjoy community sports activities, as well as the wraparound services offered through the programme.

Julie Costley, Hyde’s Successful Places, Projects and Partnership Manager said:

“We’re delighted to be supporting the ‘JRF in the Community’ project. At Hyde we can see first-hand the vital role that organisations such as JRF play – both to young people and adults.

“The pandemic caused a lot of disruption to communities, impacting on everything from activity levels to people’s self-confidence. This funding is going to help develop more opportunities for people across Brent to engage with sport, training and physical activity.

“We’re looking forward to engaging even more with communities in Brent and helping inspire people to achieve their goals.”

To ensure there are no barriers to participation, there will be a range of open mixed sessions, girls, and women only sessions, and inclusive sports, games, and activity sessions including trips and excursions for children and young people with physical and learning disabilities.

Otis Roberts, CEO of the Foundation said; “We are thrilled to have been chosen to receive this grant from the Hyde Charitable Trust. For several years Hyde have supported us to deliver sports and recreational activities for the children and young people of Brent. This 3-year grant will help us to engage all Brent residents to create a positive and inclusive community where everyone can enjoy the benefits of sport and lead healthier and happier lives.”

Martene Carroll In News

The 2023 Walking Football World Cup of Nations Welcomes the Caribbean to its Finals

Founders of Walking Football Caribbean Shaun Merchant, Ken Guiste, Gregg Dalmar and George Evans

Walking Football Caribbean in collaboration with The Jason Roberts Foundation will be sending a multi-country team to the Walking Football World Cup finals that will be held at the home of the England Football Team, St George’s Park, Burton-on-Trent between 24th and 26th August 2023. The Caribbean team will be joined by 21 nations from Africa, Europe, North America and Australasia.

About The Collaborators

Walking Football Caribbean was founded by Shaun Merchant, Ken Guiste, Gregg Dalmar and George Evans, walking footballers who share a passion to develop the sport they love, both in the UK and the Caribbean.

The Jason Roberts Foundation invests in local communities to change outcomes for the most marginalised in the United Kingdom and Caribbean.

Community is the enduring centre of Jason Roberts’ story. An activist, former professional footballer, media personality, and the current Director of Development at CONCACAF, Jason Roberts, MBE, launched his Foundation in 2007.

Otis Roberts, CEO of The Jason Roberts Foundation said “This collaboration makes absolute sense to us at JRF. As a community based charity we are well aware of the inactivity that is evident in the Caribbean Community once that 40 marker is reached. Walking Football is a great way for people to stay active and be a part of something that is social and has many health benefits. Once folks get active again who knows what they’ll do next.”

JRF is fully aligned with Walking Football Caribbean’s mission is to improve, maintain and promote the physical, mental and social wellbeing of older adults through walking football.

In addition, ex-professional footballer, Mike Adams, former Grenada National Head Coach, National Walking Football Coach of the Year and South-East England Regional Coach has officially joined the Walking Football Caribbean’s team in the capacity of coach. “We are delighted and very grateful to have Mike on board.” George Evans, WFC co-founder. “Mike is widely regarded as one of the best walking football coaches around.”

Mike says, “I’ve been coaching this sport for around 5 years now and have been alarmed at the lack of players of black origin that participate. It’s a great game that takes more out of you than you may think. For the elite player, it’s still competitive and fast paced as the ball is moving rather you. At the participation level it really is a great way to get and keep fit whilst minimising the potential of injury in this non-contact version of the beautiful game. The fact that we are entering a Caribbean team into this competition is an opportunity that I could not resist.”

What is Walking Football

It is exactly what it sounds like – a standard game of typically 6-a-side non-contact football where players walk instead of run. It’s designed to help people get fit, maintain an active lifestyle no matter what their age and fitness level, as well as support for people getting back into football.

This sport is entirely inclusive and is suitable for all ages,” says Walking Football Caribbean co-founder, Gregg Dalmar, “whether you want to play socially at your nearest club or competitively via local leagues and tournaments that ultimately lead to international events such as the World Cup of Nations, which includes three ex-professional footballers per team.”

The Bigger Picture

Whilst the ‘World Cup of Nations’ is the biggest stage in which to enter the sport. Walking football is played by hundreds of thousands of people in over 70 countries. The health and mental benefits for the Caribbean Community—particularly, males who are 40 plus—are numerous.

Chronic Illnesses such as Diabetes, Dementia and Parkinson’s have plagued Caribbean communities for decades and Walking football provides a low-impact cardiovascular workout.

It helps improve endurance, strength, and overall fitness. Regular participation can lead to better cardiovascular health, increased stamina, and improved muscle tone. Fantastic for mental stimulation, stress relief and social interaction. It’s designed to help people get fit, maintain an active lifestyle no matter what their age and fitness level, as well as to support people getting back into football.

Our aim is to:

To engage and work with all walking football groups/clubs, partners, participants, local authorities, health services and any other organisations interested in the development of walking football.

Increase participation by managing, supporting, developing and promoting walking football in the Caribbean.

Create and support a sustainable competition structure throughout the Caribbean at all appropriate age levels in conjunction with existing competitions that encourages full social integration.

Want to participate or get more info on the 2023 Walking Football World Cup Of Nations?

For trials, partnerships and sponsorship opportunities send an email to

walkingfootballcaribbean@gmail.com

Tickets can be purchased at https://www.eventbrite.co.uk

Those unable to attend can stream all games LIVE on Youtube. A community outreach program will also be running before and during the event.

Martene Carroll In Events

JRF Host GDK Tournament

On Sunday 3rd July the Jason Roberts Foundation hosted the GDK Cup, a summer Football Tournament at Bridgestone Arena, NW10.

The GDK Cup, the brainchild of popular food brand company German Doner Kebab, saw more than 110 young people compete in a tournament with a focus on positive futures and career options.

The event was ably organised and executed by JRF Youth Ambassadors who, as part of their work experience take part in training to organise and run events for the Foundation, and in the process help them to acquire a range of skills to add to their CV.

When asked by Loren, one of JRF’s Youth Ambassadors, how he thought about linking a sporting event to the German Doner Kebab name, Eddie Duah, Director and CEO of GDK answered, “It’s something we’ve done before with other teams, and we’re super proud of it. Being able to bring opportunities to people from North, South, East, and West London for me is amazing. When we had the possibility to do it with JRF and give young people a chance to get involved – whether helping to organise the event or playing in the tournament, was a no-brainer for us.”

Congratulating the JRF Youth Ambassadors for their great work in organising the event, Eddie went on to say, “I remember when I was younger being told that you need experience to do something, but if you’re not given the chance you’ll never get the experience. The more opportunities young people get, the better their job and career prospects will be.”

After an exciting final, the winning team hopped on the JRF minibus with their trophy to enjoy food at the nearby GDK in Willesden Green, where Eddie and the GDK staff met with the team and JRF Youth Ambassadors.

JRF plan to host similar events throughout the summer, promoting the benefits of sport, teamwork, diversity and inclusion as well as positive futures for young people.

Martene Carroll In Events

JRF Commemorate 75^th Anniversary of Windrush

Windrush Legacy Footballers bearing Flags of their countries

Sunday 25^th June 2023

On Sunday afternoon over 750 people descended on Bridgestone Arena to enjoy a JRF Exhibition Football Match played by a host of footballing legends under the blazing June sun, to commemorate the 75^th Anniversary of the Empire Windrush’s arrival in Britain.

The free-to-attend event kicked off at midday when the match got underway celebrating the rich footballing heritage of Brent.

Other activities on offer included Salsa, Street dance, and dominoes to a backdrop of music, and refreshments with a Caribbean influence, and attendees had the opportunity to speak to a range of Health Professionals on everything from Eye Care, and Oral Health, with Blood Pressure and Diabetes checks provided by Brent Health Matters (BHM) and the NHS Clinical Team, as well as information for Carers, and a Will writing service.

Leader of Brent Council, Muhammed Butt and local Councillor Promise Knight were on hand to walk the teams out, and the new Mayor of Brent, Cllr Orleen Hylton was in attendance to enjoy some of the activities on offer and to meet local residents.

The all-day event was part of JRF’s ‘Our Time Zone’ project – a Sports, Social, and Health Club for Adults funded by You Decide Brent Health Matters.

On the day over 140 people managed to get their health checks completed thanks to the hard work of the Clinical Team, which was a really positive outcome to an enjoyable and productive day where sport, heritage, culture, health, and community came together.

Martene Carroll In Awards & Grants

JRF Receive Back to Movement Funding

JRF are delighted to announce a second year of funding from Back to Movement by Track Academy, to deliver the ‘Golf in the Community’ and ‘Youth Zone’ projects for the benefit of children and young people in Brent.

Due to the success and popularity of both projects that were launched in early 2022, JRF have been awarded the grant funding to continue the initiatives.

Back to Movement continues in 2023, with an extended programme designed for the local Brent community and surrounding boroughs to contribute to, not only recover from Covid-19, but to also help bring back the bond in communities across London.

Track Academy in collaboration with Sport England (Together Fund) and National Lottery (Community Fund) continues to go back to basics by, getting people and communities back into movement. The aim with this programme is to continue encouraging the community to come together and work together, to get active again by rebuilding hope, reconnect and looking forward to the future.

JRF’s ‘Golf in the Community’ project will provide urban golf for local children and young people – helping them to keep active and healthy, and offering a new sport for them to try. Sessions will be delivered twice weekly – one from Bridgestone Arena, NW10, the other through community outreach in local schools, parks and green spaces.

Young participants will also have the opportunity to take part in trips to a professional Golf Club, with the support of JRF’s Golf Partners.

The ‘Youth Zone’ is an inclusive and accessible club held each week on a Friday evening for young people to connect socially. In addition to multi-sports, games, and exercise, the club provides creative activities including music and media, as well as mentoring and careers workshops for older participants considering progression pathways.

Martene Carroll, Business Development Manager for JRF said; “We are so grateful to Track Academy, Sport England, and the National Lottery Community Fund for their continued support through these grants. Enabling us to deliver a second year of ‘Golf in the Community’ and the ‘Youth Zone’ will not only help us to engage more young people, but it will allow us to have a deeper and more sustainable impact on those who have previously taken part in the activities.”

Back to Movement project coordinator Grace Veys says: “The programme has helped many organisations expand their services and reach more people over the course of 2022. We are glad that we are able to continue the project for another year. The project motivates thousands of Brent residents and other boroughs to leave the house again after Covid-19, meet new people, learn new skills and have a brighter look at the future. We are glad to be stripping away financial and accessibility barriers, creating safe spaces for participants, improving quality of life, increasing self-esteem and confidence, and most importantly healing after grief.”

If you would like more information regarding these projects please contact info@jasonrobertsfoundation.org with the subject header either ‘Golf in the Community’ or ‘Youth Zone’.

Martene Carroll In Events

JRF set to celebrate Health & Heritage

Cropped Flyer for Health and Wellbeing Festival

On Sunday 25^th June the JRF Team are opening the gates at Bridgestone Arena, NW10 for the local community to join them for a Windrush Exhibition Football Match and Health & Wellbeing Festival.

The free-to-attend Event will kick-off at 12 noon when the Football Match gets underway, to celebrate the rich footballing heritage of Brent, and to mark the 75th Anniversary of the Empire Windrush’s arrival in Britain.

To a backdrop of Music and Multi-sports including Walking Football, Tennis, Golf, Dance, Table Tennis, and Chair Aerobics for the elders, attendees will have the opportunity to speak to a range of Health Professionals on everything from Eye Care, Oral Health, Blood Pressure, and Diabetes checks, as well as information for Carers, and a Will writing service.

The all day event is part of JRF’s ‘Our Time Zone’ project – a Sports, Social, and Health Club for Adults funded by You Decide Brent Health Matters.

Refreshments will be available throughout the day and everyone is encouraged to come suitably dressed to take part In some of the activities on offer.

There will be something for everyone at the Festival of Health, Wellbeing, Culture and Heritage. Come and meet your neighbours, socialize, get fit, get active, and stay healthy.

For more information on Brent Health Matters visit https://www.brent.gov.uk/adult-social-care/health-and-wellbeing/brent-health-matters#whatisbrenthealthmatters

Martene Carroll In News

Football Fitness for over-50’s

Sunday 4^th June 2023

On a sundrenched afternoon at Bridgestone Arena, JRF hosted a Football Tournament for the over-50’s as part of ‘Our Time Zone’ a Sports, Social, and Health Club for Adults funded by You Decide Brent Health Matters.

Six teams took part in the action packed day including Spurs, Luton, Bounds Green, JRF, QPR, and Watford. In a spirited final game Spurs defeated JRF to receive the winning Trophy.

Andre Nolan and the Clinical Team from Brent Health Matters were on hand throughout the day to offer the teams health checks including blood pressure checks.

Otis Roberts, CEO of the JRF said; “Big thanks to Andre and the team for supporting these young men in their quest to keep healthy and active.”

To learn more about Brent Health Matters visit https://www.brent.gov.uk/adult-social-care/health-and-wellbeing/brent-health-matters#whatisbrenthealthmatters

Martene Carroll In News

Girls Allowed!

During the recent May Half Term, a group of girls from JRF were invited by Inspire to Achieve Heritage legend, Eartha Pond, to attend a Girls Allowed event at Church Street Leisure Centre.

The small group who are participants of JRF’s ‘This Girl Can’ project funded by the Hyde Charitable Trust, were accompanied by two female mentors to the school holiday activity programme.

Girls Allowed is a game-changing initiative of the ESP Foundation, a charitable organization founded by Eartha Pond, which aims to embed necessary change and opportunities, to support the next generation thrive!

The girls had a fantastic day enjoying a range of activities inspiring them to stay fit, active, and healthy, including roller skating, fitness, table tennis, basketball, street dance, and football all to the latest tunes from a live DJ.

They all look forward to more Girls Allowed events during the summer holidays.

For more information on the ESP Foundation visit https://www.espfoundation.co.uk/about

If you would like to join JRF’s This Girl Can project please email info@jasonrobertsfoundation.org with the subject header; This Girl Can

Martene Carroll In News

Groundwork London Inspire Green Fingers

On the sunny afternoon of Tuesday 30^th May, the JRF Team were joined by 40 young people and their parents to take part in a Community Gardening Day, which saw members of the Groundwork London Team donate gardening equipment, and deliver gardening tips and training to the budding young Monty Don’s and Sarah Raven’s, eager to get digging.

In the open green space around Bridgestone Arena, NW!0 large wooden planters have been built by Segro as part of JRF’s ongoing commitment to take action on climate change, by cleaning up and greening up local areas. The planters form part of the Bridgestone Community Gardens with the intention of attracting butterflies, bees, and other insects by planting pollinators and flowers in the raised beds.

The young gardeners took great delight in planting sage and lavender plants, as well as other flowers, and understand their responsibility for watering the flowers and watching them grow when they come to the centre to take part in the sports activities delivered by the Foundation.

After the Community Clean-up day last week the Gardening Day is the latest in the Foundation’s Climate Action programme in association with Brent’s CO2Go, a project that uses sport as a backdrop to tackle climate issues in our community.

The Mayoress of Brent Cllr Orleen Hylton was on hand to help and assist the project that was led by Sara Milne from Groundwork London and the JRF Green Squad.

Everyone got enthusiastically involved and one parent commented afterwards; “My boy slept so well last night! We are definitely going to have to keep this up!”

Look out for future Community Clean-up Days and Community Gardening Days and come down and get involved. Everyone is welcome.

Martene Carroll

Jason Roberts Foundation

Grenada

Click below to visit the CMC