Category

Events

Cultural Cohesion Community Day at JRF

Community residents enjoying dance and music and sunshine

Sunday 11th May 2025

On a bright, sunny Sunday the Jason Roberts Foundation (JRF) team welcomed over five hundred local residents of all ages to Bridgestone Arena for the first Cultural Cohesion Community Day, in partnership with Brent Council and the Ministry of Housing, Communities, and Local Government.

The intergenerational Family Day offered a wide range of inclusive sport, fitness activities, and games, an array of cuisines from around the world, music and dancing, and a live steel drum band.

This first of two Community days was an opportunity to showcase Brent’s diversity by highlighting and celebrating the rich variety of cultures that make up the community.

From massages to reflexology, face painting and bouncy castles in the Kids Zone, Steel bands to youth football, and the FA and QPR running sessions for girls’ development, everyone from age five to elders, the community spirit shone through as participants basked in the May sunshine.

The large crowd enjoyed the Brazilian churros, and açai and Jamaican Patties were sensational as was the contribution from local independent businesses from different nationalities who set up stalls and offered services on the day.

On the court there was basketball, tennis, and athletics taster sessions, whilst on the pitch the youth ran their own football tournament, and the men came together for Walking Football. Meanwhile the women and girls engaged themselves in movement, culture, and sport and the children fully immersed themselves in the atmosphere of the day of celebration.

Otis Roberts, CEO of the Jason Roberts Foundation said; “These events aim to strengthen bonds between diverse groups, encourage mutual respect, and promote cohesion. The aim for Brent Council and JRF is to create a vibrant, supportive atmosphere for all families in Brent. Judging by the smiles and laughter of the people here today we hope this event has helped to achieve that.”

NOTE: The second Cultural Cohesion Community Day is scheduled for Sunday 15th June. Look out for further information via www.jasonrobertsfoundation.com and social media #JasonRobertsFdn

Photo credit: Buky Taiwo Photography buky.taiwo@btinternet.com 07956847324

JRF Events & Activities in March 2025

What a great month it has been with talk, sport, and dance for the entire Brent community.

  • First up JRF celebrated International Women’s Day with a Brent inter-school Girls’ Football Tournament. Warm up exercises were demonstrated by four-time Olympian Triple Jumper Yamilé Aldama. Three of the other ‘Empower to Achieve’ women of Heritage and Sport – Celeste Stevens, Connie Henry MBE, and Lorna Falconer joined Yamilé on the stage for a Memory Café Q&A to a packed hall of girls.
  • Another ‘Empower to Achieve’ Event saw Jawahir ‘JJ’ Roble, MBE return to her former place of study, Westminster College where she met with past tutors and spoke with the audience about her time at the college, and what led her to her current profession as a professional football referee.
  • It was a month for women as Lorna Falconer returned to Bridgestone for a very special Memory Café to celebrate Mother’s Day for the elders in the Brent community. Refreshments were laid on and resident Dance & Fitness Coach, Cherrelle Amo from Hillside Performing Arts got everyone to their feet with a musical exercise session.
  • The month closed with a Walking Football Tournament between the over 50s Caribbean Team and Peru. It was an afternoon of competition and camaraderie – just as sport should be.

All of this has been captured in another great video montage from JRF’s young Media Man, Marley.

Enjoy!

PHOTO CREDIT @eyeSam – https://www.eyesam.co.uk/

E2A travels to Reading Football Club

Group of young people touring Reading FC

Saturday 5th April 2025

On a sunny Saturday afternoon eight young people were treated to a special day at Reading Football Club as part of JRF’s ‘Empower to Achieve’ Heritage project funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

Pupils from Lyon Park Primary School had been doing some research on one of the Women of Heritage & Sport the project is focused on – Celeste Stevens, Head of Academy Operations at Reading Football Club, who incidentally hails from the same estate in Stonebridge as former Reading player and founder of JRF – Jason Roberts, MBE.

Accompanied by JRF staff and the senior leadership team at Lyon Park school, the young people thoroughly enjoyed a behind the scenes tour led by Celeste where they visited all the club’s departments ahead of the local derby versus Wycombe Wanderers FC.

From meeting the media, the customer service team, and safeguarding team as well as the first team players, the highlight of the day for the lucky group was to have the opportunity to be flag bearers leading the teams out in a live televised game on Sky Sports.

A quick-fire Heritage Q&A with their host Celeste, followed a trip to the Club shop where the young people were given Reading shirts to wear as they immersed themselves in the atmosphere of the game as Reading ran out 1.0 winners. An enjoyable day all round!

For more information on the ‘Empower to Achieve’ project please contact info@jasonrobertsfoundation.org

Activities & Events in February 2025

Group of girls playing tag rugby

After a flying start to the New Year, February has certainly not slowed down for the JRF Team!

From Walking Football with our over 50’s Caribbean Team, to the Healthy Hub – for JRF’s Community Health Co Production Programme to undertake base rate health assessments for local residents with support from Brent Council’s Brent Health Matters (BHM) Team.

JRF’s latest Empower to Achieve Woman of Heritage & Sport, Yamilé Aldama was busy encouraging young people in healthy competition in various sporting challenges. She paid a visit to students at Salvatorian College for a Memory Cafe which gave the young people an opportunity to ask questions about life growing up and her experience competing in the Olympics.

Two of JRF’s Youth Ambassadors had a Q&A with Yamilé in the onsite Cultural Media Centre over a game of chess.

February Half Term gave the JRF team the opportunity to get local young people outside to take part in sports, fitness activities, and games at their HQ at Bridgestone Arena, and at Alperton Community School as part of the Collaboration Project with Us Charity, funded by John Lyons Charity.

Coach Wilbert put a group of girls through their paces playing tag rugby as part of the EmpowerHer Girls’ Rugby Project funded by England Rugby and the Mayor of London.

Resident referee Jawahir ‘JJ’ Roble returned to JRF HQ to officiate a youth football match and afterwards the players heard from the inspiring young woman as part of the ongoing Empower to Achieve Heritage programme.

All of these activities have been captured in this short video from our young Media Man, Marley https://vimeo.com/1065465847?share=copy

We hope you enjoy.

Youth give back with Community Clean up

Youth standing in front of litter they have collected

Sunday 22nd December 2024

Ahead of the festive break a group of fifteen local youths who frequent the Foundation’s activities and programmes at Bridgestone Arena took part in a community clean up, giving back to their community centre and neighbourhood.

This social action initiative supported by Hyde Charitable Trust as part of the ‘JRF in the Community’ three-year project, is one of many such climate schemes organised by JRF and local partners including Hyde Housing and Brent Council over the last few years, inspiring local young people and adults to take action and be responsible for the area in which they live.

Over the years JRF have been active in green and environmental activities including community clean ups, education, enhancing green spaces and creating a ‘Green squad’ Youth Board that take part in environmental taskforce conversations.

Training was conducted by Ilaria of “Start Easy” a specialist in environmental training and green programmes.

The youths who gave up their time to get involved in the initiative were rewarded with a well-earned meal at a local grill restaurant.

Girls try Rugby at inter-school Tournament

Group of girls playing tag rugby

Wednesday 13th November 2024

On a sunny Wednesday afternoon over forty girls aged 12 – 14 years old took part in an inter-school Tag Rugby Tournament hosted by the Jason Roberts Foundation (JRF) in collaboration with the Serge Betsen Academy.

The London EmpowerHer event was a brilliant example of how rugby joins communities.

The girls’ Rugby project delivered by JRF and funded by England Rugby and the Mayor of London merges participation in local schools and community centres and incorporates Tag Rugby coaching and personal development through the Skills builder programme.

The London EmpowerHer project is going from strength to strength as the interest and participation in tag rugby grows.

The schools which included Twyford School and Alperton Community School competed in a three-way tournament incorporating a master class and Q&A with former French and Wasps legend Serge Betsen. The girls asked some inspired questions, and the session could have gone on well into the evening.

Serge and his coaches from the Academy assisted JRF’s rugby coach Wilbert, who all provided the competitors with tips and encouragement on how to make an impact in a match situation.

Each school received a trophy for participating in the tournament and returned home empowered by the news skills they learnt by competing in a sport that is in great need of a boost.

If you’d like to know more about the London EmpowerHer Rugby project, contact info@jasonrobertsfoundation.org

For more information about the Serge Betsen Academy visit https://www.sergebetsenacademy.org/

JRF Celebrate Black History Month

Women of Heritage on stage at Brent Civic Centre

23rd October 2024

Each October the Jason Roberts Foundation (JRF) host an event and activities for the Brent community to celebrate Black History Month, to remember moments in history, achievements, and contributions that Black people have made in the United Kingdom.

Introduced by historian and author, Dr Carter G Woodson in the USA in 1926, Black History Month began in the UK in 1987.

Reclaiming Narratives

This year’s theme for Black History Month is “Reclaiming Narratives” to correct historical inaccuracies and uncover untold stories of Black people’s contributions to art, literature, business, sport, politics and more in the UK and around the world.

On Wednesday 23rd October JRF joined up with Brent Council at Brent Civic Centre to celebrate Black History Month.

Fittingly JRF’s ‘Empower to Achieve’ Heritage project, funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, made possible by money raised by National Lottery players, traces the Ancestry of Women in Sport of Caribbean, Indian, and Somali Heritage.

Three of the women of Heritage the project is focussed on; Lorna Falconer – Head of Football Operations at Brentford Football Club, Connie Henry, MBE – founder of charity Track Academy, creator of the Sports Give Back Awards, and former international triple jumper; and Celeste Stevens, Head of Safeguarding & Academy Player Welfare at Reading Football Club took to the stage at the ‘Reclaiming Narratives’ event and spoke to the audience about their career journey, families, and personal experiences competing and working in the world of sport.

The event was attended by over 250 people who heard some of their previously untold stories and interacted with the ladies during a Q&A session.

Many young participants of JRF projects and activities who are contributing and taking part in the National Lottery Heritage Funded project were in attendance and enjoyed the rest of the evening which included poetry, arts, and music.

Young JRF Media intern Marley said, “This project has given others and people like me the opportunity to research, gain skills and experience, and be responsible for contributing to the work and projects run by the Foundation. I’m learning new things every day and we are all constantly being inspired by the women of Heritage involved in the ‘Empower to Achieve’ project, who always have time for us.”

For more information about JRF projects and events follow #JasonRobertsFdn and email info@jasonrobertsfoundation.org

Arthur Wharton Cup comes to Brent

Youths & Shaun Campbell stand in front of Arthur Wharton Panel

Sunday 20th October 2024

The Arthur Wharton statue made its first appearance in Brent on Sunday when local youths played for the Arthur Wharton trophy at Bridgestone Arena, home of the Jason Roberts Foundation (JRF).

Over ninety players and spectators took part in a tournament of football, cricket, and athletics to commemorate a sporting pioneer.

Arthur Wharton was born in Ghana in 1865. In 1883, he moved to Darlington, England where he began his amazing sporting career.

Arthur became the first Black professional footballer, the first official fastest man, a professional cricketer, and a rugby player.

Specially made bibs were worn by each team which marked the club and the heritage to which Arthur was associated with Rotherham, Darlington, Ghana his place of birth and Grenada where is father was born.

Founder Shaun Campbell of the Arthur Wharton Foundation travelled from the northeast and was on hand to inspire, educate, and connect with the local players and community. A short film and Q&A session followed after the main presentation to the winning team of the football tournament and an award for the fastest youth on the day was over.

To add to the impressive list of local players displayed at the Bridgestone Arena, the Hyde owned community centre a stone’s throw away from the iconic Wembley Stadium, JRF unveiled a large panel featuring Arthur Wharton for current and future generations to remember his contribution to sport.

Otis Roberts, CEO said “I’ve known Shaun for a number of years and haven’t seen him for a while but now I’ve met with him twice in a week. It’s an honour to have him in Brent educating the youth about Arthur and it’s only fitting that JRF recognise the great work that is being done by Shaun and his organisation to raise awareness of Arthur’s feats.”

Shaun Campbell said “It was a real honour and a privilege to see Arthur Wharton remembered and commemorated at the Bridgestone Arena, by the Jason Roberts Foundation. The occasion also marked the 10th Anniversary of the unveiling of the now iconic statue of Arthur Wharton at the National Football Centre, St George’s Park, Burton upon Trent, home of the FA.

The JRF were exceptional hosts who marked the occasion with the unveiling of a poignant mural of Arthur, placed on their wall of honour that celebrates local heroes such as Raheem Stirling, Ricky hill, Rachel Yankey and Jason Roberts, among others.

The Arthur Wharton Foundation thanks the JRF for a truly wonderful day of celebrations that saw the local youth turn out in numbers to make the day special.

Special thanks to Otis Roberts, who has been a friend and supporter of the Arthur Wharton Foundation for some twelve years. Thanks also to the entire team at the JRF who showed exceptional kindness and commitment on the day, something that we will never forget, and will always be grateful for.”

For more information about the Arthur Wharton Foundation visit https://arthurwhartonfoundation.org/

Inspirational evening on the road with JRF in Westminster
Written by Loren Mitchell

Footballing legend Andy Cole with students from Westminster Uni

Monday 14th October 2024

After a busy few days JRF were on the road again, this time at Westminster College as part of the ‘Legends Series’ in association with the Professional Footballers Association and the United Colleges, the ongoing series is supported by Hyde Charitable Trust as part of the ‘JRF in the Community’ three-year project, and Wembley National Stadium Trust (WNST).

A packed Sarah Siddons theatre was home to an evening with footballing hero Andy Cole. The evening got off to a great start with compelling stories, words of inspiration, and a fantastic interaction between students, faculty and members of the public.

Questions came in all forms and JRF host Mike Adams and media apprentice Marley Stein held together what was an inspirational talk from one of the most decorated players in the history of the Premier League.

Young people were at the heart of the event with the student union managing proceedings and they enjoyed a fantastic opportunity post event to spend time with the former Manchester United legend.

With future volunteering and collaboration on the horizon the JRF team were pleased with the outcome of the latest series.

JRF Media Apprentice, Marley Stein commented;

“It was an incredible experience as I got to interview the legendary Andy Cole at the City of Westminster College! It was an honour to hear his insights on football, his career, and his journey. A huge thank you to the Jason Roberts Foundation especially Otis and Mike for providing this amazing opportunity to learn and grow as a media apprentice. Stay tuned for more exciting content!”

Girl Power at Female Sports Festival

Jawahir 'JJ' Roble coaching girls

Sunday 8th September 2024

On Sunday 8th September JRF hosted a Female Sports Festival as part of their ‘Empower to Achieve’ Heritage project, funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, made possible by money raised by National Lottery players, tracing the Ancestry of Women in Sport of Caribbean, Indian, and Somali Heritage.

Over 70 girls and young women turned up to the all-day event to enjoy a range of sports activities, led by the four women of Heritage the project is focussed on, Lorna Falconer – Head of Football Operations at Brentford Football Club, Connie Henry, MBE – founder of charity Track Academy, creator of the Sports Give Back Awards, and former international triple jumper; Jawahir ‘JJ’ Roble, MBE – British Football Referee, and Celeste Stevens, Head of Safeguarding & Academy Player Welfare at Reading Football Club.

The FA Coach Development Team came in full force with Sharon Muxworthy leading the way alongside Middlesex FA’s Kate Wells who looks after the development of Women’s football in the county.

In addition to sports activities there were DJ workshops, career pathways advice from local Football Business University, UCFB Wembley for those thinking of entering the sports industry.

One of JRF’s newest partners, Nuffield Health were also on hand to offer health checks and advice on health and wellbeing.

Later in the day the sport and heritage champions, Lorna, Connie, JJ and Celeste took part in a Memory Café which involved a 45-minute interactive Q&A session. The ladies took some fantastic questions from the floor and were joined by surprise guest, Eartha Pond one of JRF’s ‘Inspire 2 Achieve’ Heritage Mentors.

Young participants on the day had the opportunity to sign up to become Heritage Ambassadors as part of the ‘Empower to Achieve’ project where they will have a chance to take part in curation, events, media, film making, presenting, interviews, and research.

Otis Roberts, CEO of the Foundation said; “What a brilliant day and fantastic turnout not only by the girls and young women, but the integration of their families was wonderful to see. Our ‘Empower to Achieve’ programme is going from strength to strength and the interaction and positive influence on those involved is clear to see.

The hope is to have a session like this each month, so we don’t lose the connection between heritage, sport, culture, health and well-being, and opportunity.”

Note:

If you are interested in taking part in the ‘Empower to Achieve’ programme, please contact martene@jasonrobertsfoundation.org