Martene Carroll

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

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

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.

On the evening of Friday 26^th May over 30 young people gathered at Bridgestone Arena, NW10 to hear from a panel of Tradesmen working in a range of skilled industries, as part of the ongoing series of Real Talk Events, hosted by the Jason Roberts Foundation (JRF).

It was evident that the speakers had more than one string to their bow with Rui a local building site Manager also a Tennis Coach for JRF, Shaquille, or Shaq as he is known to JRF as their resident Dance Teacher, is a Carpenter by trade, Deon a former footballer and Coach is a Plumber, and Alvin another former professional footballer now an Electrician.

The audience heard about the values of having a trade, and that good money can be earned as there is always a demand for skilled workers. In fact, according to figures from the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, wages have risen about 6% as a result of a shortage of skilled tradespeople, including carpenters, groundworkers, bricklayers, plasterers and plant operators in the wake of Brexit and exacerbated by the pandemic.

Shaq gave some good advice about the importance of financial literacy and learning about credit, and Rui spoke about being proactive in seeking and taking opportunities for career development.

The Real Talk sessions are part of JRF’s ‘Passport to Success’ project which is funded by Young Brent Foundation and One Flow One Brent, that aims to give young people an insight into a wide range of industries, and to arm them with the skills needed to compete in the world of work and business.

Shaq who is 24 told the audience, “I took a leap of faith when I left a large company to start my own business. I look after my money and save a lot which has helped me to recently get on the property ladder.”

Alvin said, “I thought football was everything. When I got released (by the Club) I had to do something, to work. I have no regrets in choosing my trade and it has allowed me to plan ahead.”

Deon added, “I wasn’t great in school and my dad was always on to me about getting a trade. Plumbers are in high demand and I’m glad I followed his advice.” 

He encouraged the young people listening to plan ahead in whatever they choose to do. 

JRF have hosted a series of Real Talk sessions as part of the project over the past 6-months, and the success and positive outcomes for the participants continues to grow.

If you are interested in attending future Real Talk sessions please email info@jasonrobertsfoundation.org with the subject header “Passport to Success”

On Friday 5^th May JRF hosted a ‘Passport to Success’ evening that focused on the world of Business.

JRF partnered with Launch It Neasden a new vibrant enterprise centre in Brent for the Real Talk session that welcomed 20 budding entrepreneurs and business owners to the co-working space.

Each business owner had the opportunity to speak about their business, their ideas, the challenges they face, and any help they are seeking, in what was a fun and engaging conversation hosted by JRF’s Michael Adams, and business mentors, Mark Segalov and Angela Seeram.

After the session the group enjoyed refreshments during a follow-on networking session, as an opportunity to share ideas, and seek guidance from the mentors about next steps and top tips.

There is a follow on meeting planned at the end of May for many of the businesses hoping to work with Launch It Neasden, as an attractive and affordable space to help grow their business.

Launch It is part of the wider regeneration of Neasden town centre, that will support fifty young entrepreneurs to start or grow a business through a combination of co-working desks and individual workspaces.

For more information visit https://www.launchit.org.uk/neasden

JRF’s ‘Passport to Success’ project which is funded by Young Brent Foundation and One Flow One Brent, aims to give young people an insight into a wide range of industries, and to arm then with the skills needed to compete in the world of work and business.

JRF have hosted a series of Real Talk sessions as part of the project over the past 6-months, and the success and positive outcomes for the participants continues to grow.

Simon, one of the business owners in attendance commented after the session; “I found a lot of support and motivation from the Passport to Success event the other week! I was able to speak to people I wouldn’t usually come across and get some insight into the success and difficulties people find in starting a business.”

He continued; “I feel confident now that I’m part of a core of people all trying to go down the same path, with the guidance of successful and knowledgeable people.”

If you are interested in attending future Real Talk sessions please email info@jasonrobertsfoundation.org with the subject header “Passport to Success”

March 2023

In March staff from the Jason Roberts Foundation attended the launch of the ‘Take your shot studio’ a business hub and workspace located in Brent for entrepreneurs who need support growing their business ideas.

Cec Richards the founder of Slenky – an opportunities platform, and more recently the Studio led the event with some inspirational words and hope for future aspiring leaders.

Read the full article on Brent Council’s website here:

https://www.brent.gov.uk/news-in-brent/2023/march/take-your-shot-studios-opens-for-business