Awards & Grants

Thanks to funding from the Wembley National Stadium Trust (WNST) the JRF Team are delighted by the ongoing work they have been able to deliver for the benefit of the Brent community.

JRF was one of several local groups that was invited by WNST to apply for funding as part of the Trust’s new ‘Anchor Organisations’ programme’.

The two-year funding from WNST has enabled JRF to deliver a wide range of activities, events, and health initiatives for the local community. As well as regular multi-sports and fitness activities that cater for all ages and abilities, the over 50’s have set up a Walking Football Team ‘Bridgestone Steppers’ and a group of young people have created a Basketball Team the ‘Bridgestone Bulls’.

Community outreach is enabling the team to engage with neighbouring residents to ensure that everyone in the community can get involved in sports, regardless of any barriers they face.

Through funding, facilities at JRF’s community hub, Bridgestone Arena, have been upgraded including additional items of gym equipment and Basketball stands and hoops, enabling the team to provide safe and accessible sports facilities for all members of the community.

JRF is reliant on the dedication and expertise of their coaches and volunteers, and part of the funding is being used to provide ongoing training and professional development opportunities to help them stay current and effective in their roles.

Regular intergenerational Community events allow people to come together through sport alleviating isolation and loneliness, helping people to feel more connected. The funding has allowed JRF to offer the Brent public a host of events including a celebration day for the Brazilian community, Health & Wellbeing initiatives, Sports tournaments, and social action enterprises including community clean-up days.

Otis Roberts, CEO of the Foundation said; “We are thrilled to have been awarded this funding by the Wembley National Stadium Trust. By focusing on the plans we proposed as part of our application, we believe we can make a lasting impact on the health and well-being of our local community and leave a positive legacy for future generations.”

To hear more from Otis about the impact of the funding watch this video https://youtu.be/CGHihyQ806Q?feature=shared

WNST is a charitable grant-making trust, distributing funding received from Wembley National Stadium Ltd to support community sports activities.

For more information visit https://wnst.org/

Following their successful ‘Thrive in Brent’ application to the Edward Harvist Trust Fund the JRF Team are delighted by the positive impact the project is having on the local community.

The awarded grant has enabled JRF to purchase equipment for the Community Hub to aid Fitness Activities, Events, and Training programmes for Brent residents.

Regular community events hosted by the JRF team celebrate the rich diversity of Brent and support residents to come together socially, share experiences, and build strong relationships. From cultural festivals, sports tournaments, and family fun days, these gatherings help to foster a sense of belonging and unity, enhancing community spirit.

A key aspect of JRF’s offer is to empower young people with the knowledge and skills they need to succeed in life, through education, training, and career pathways. The funding has enabled the team to offer access to mentoring and career workshops to guide young adults towards fulfilling and sustainable careers.

Sport, exercise, and fitness activities are central to JRF’s offer and Health and Wellbeing are at the core of the ‘Thrive in Brent’ project, as it seeks to improve the overall physical and mental wellbeing of Brent residents. Offering a diverse rage of fitness classes, from yoga and dance to outdoor workouts and sports activities, with the aim of making exercise enjoyable and accessible to all age groups and fitness levels. Nutritional workshops and health screenings are also on offer to underpin healthy lifestyle choices.

Martene Carroll, Business Development Manager for JRF said of the award; “We are delighted to again receive funding from the Edward Harvist Trust Fund to support our work in the community. In 2021 during the Covid-19 pandemic, we were awarded funding to equip and open our onsite Cultural Media Centre, and with the additional funding provided at the time by Wembley National Stadium Trust (WNST), this allowed us to deliver online talks, forums, and fitness sessions during National lockdowns, which was a vital lifeline for the Brent community. We are very grateful to the Trust for their ongoing support.”

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.”

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’.

April 2023 

On Monday 3^rd April JRF opened its doors at Bridgestone Arena, NW10 8LW, the ‘home’ of the Foundation since its launch in 2007, for an Easter Half Term Holiday programme for children and young people of Brent. 

Thanks to funding from Young Brent Foundation’s One Flow One Brent (OFOB) and Hyde Housing partnership, the Easter holiday programme will help to keep young people safe, connected, occupied, and active during the two week break from school. 

With a broad range of sports and activities on offer including Tennis, Football, Boxing, Dance, Golf, Basketball, and Teqball to name a few, as well as creative and personal development workshops, and opportunities for children to try out new sports, there is bound to be something for everyone.  

JRF offer an open access programme of activities to ensure everyone can take part and no-one is excluded.  

Thanks to funding through Brent Council You Decide Neighbourhood Community Infrastructure Levy (NCIL), activities for children and young people with physical and learning disabilities are being integrated alongside mainstream delivery through JRF’s ‘Inclusive Communities’ project, and incorporate a Buddy System, creating an ethos where everyone can take part equally, helping to break down barriers to participation so the children feel less marginalised and excluded. 

The half term programmes help to ensure children and young people have a safe place to go during the long summer holidays, where they can take part in sports and fun, affordable activities. JRF strive to give children opportunities to keep fit, active, and healthy whilst having the opportunity to socialise with their friends and make new ones, and enjoy new experiences through trips and excursions. 

Otis Roberts CEO at the Foundation said: ‘We are delighted to be able to offer Brent youth a space to be active and healthy during the school holidays. Sport is a great tool for engagement giving children a variety of activities to try out, whilst interacting and making friends. We are thankful to Young Brent Foundation, OFOB, and Hyde Housing for their continued support, and we look forward to our ongoing partnership.” 

With the spring sun shining brightly this is sure to be a fun and exciting Easter EGGtravanganza! 

For enquiries regarding the half term programme contact info@jasonrobertsfoundation.org with the subject ‘Easter 2023’. 

For enquiries regarding the Inclusive Communities project contact info@jasonrobertsfoundation.org with the subject ‘Inclusive Communities’. 

Follow the Jason Roberts Foundation social media channels @JasonRobertsFdn to keep up to date with all the news, ongoing activities, and new initiatives being delivered. 

March 2023

JRF are pleased to announce a new Sports Programme specifically for girls – ‘This Girl Can’ an outreach programme to reframe sport and physical activity for girls, to tackle adolescent and teenage disengagement.

The project funded by Hyde Housing Association Ltd. Will involve relatable role models to expand the image of what ‘sporty’ looks like, and aims to offer activities that are exciting and appealing, to encourage more girls to take part.

The 6-month ‘This Girl Can’ project has been informed by the findings and recommendations from the Women in Sport’s 2022 Report, funded by Sport England “Reframing Sport for Teenage Girls: Tackling Teenage Disengagement” Published in March 2022. https://womeninsport.org/research-and-advice/our-publications/

JRF has consulted with their existing female participants, Youth Volunteers, and Coaches to understand their motivation for playing sport and participating in activities that are on offer, and conversely, what barriers thet face that stops them from playing sport.

Using the information learnt, and a better understanding of teenage girls’ lives and their relationship with sport and physical activity, as well as the wider issues they face, JRF will offer targeted sports and physical activity sessions for girls that pose no judgement, give girls a voice and a choice, and encourage girls to build sport and exercise into their existing habits.

If you are interested in joining the programme please email info@jasonrobertsfoundation.org with the subject header: This Girl Can.