News

The JRF Team were EGGcited to again open their doors at Bridgestone Arena, NW10 to children and young people in Brent for the Easter Holiday Programme!

The half term holiday programme ran for two weeks starting on Tuesday 2^nd April from 12:00 to 4:00pm daily and was well attended by children and young people aged 5 – 16-years-old who HOPPED over to the Bridgestone Arena, to join in the fun activities and games.

As always there was a packed schedule including multi-sports, indoor games, and crafts, with the ever-popular Cherrelle from Hillside Performing Arts getting people dancing on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday from 1:00 – 2:00pm.

Despite the changing weather conditions over the two weeks the JRF Team ensured there were plenty of activities to please everyone, including a bowling trip.

Look out for details of our next half term holiday programme via our social media channels @JasonRobertsFdn

Last month Otis Roberts, CEO and Martene Carroll, Business Development Manager from JRF were among the guests at Kiln Theatre for an evening to celebrate Brent’s Heritage.

The event, which was hosted by the London & South Engagement Team

from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, was an opportunity to celebrate the amazing contributions to heritage achievements in the last five years in Brent and find out what’s next!

Guests included several individuals, groups, and organisations based in Brent who have received funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund over the last five years, thanks to National Lottery players, and who have delivered myriad projects to celebrate the rich cultural and sporting heritage of the London Borough.

JRF’s own Heritage project, ‘Inspire to Achieve’ uncovered the histories and untold stories of the Footballers who Paved the Way in the borough of Brent.

Visit JRF’s website dedicated to the project here: https://www.inspire2achieve.co.uk

During the evening a film was shown which gave a small snapshot of all the heritage activity that Brent organisations have delivered with Heritage Fund grants since 2019.

The film can be watched here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=00d5bvLkXI8

Notes to editors

About the Jason Roberts Foundation (JRF)

JRF is a sport for development charity delivering a programme of wrap-around support – mentoring, life skills, education, and training, within our multi-sports activities providing opportunities and promoting exercise and team games to young people, including those at risk, and those with physical and learning disabilities. There is also a focus on health and wellbeing family interventions, and intergenerational community projects and events. We collaborate with local voluntary, public, and private sector organisations, and funding bodies to achieve our objective of ‘community first’.

About The National Lottery Heritage Fund

As the largest dedicated funder of the UK’s heritage, The National Lottery Heritage Fund’s vision is for heritage to be valued, cared for and sustained for everyone, now and in the future as set out in our strategic plan, Heritage 2033. 

Over the next ten years, the Heritage Fund aims to invest £3.6billion raised for good causes by National Lottery players to bring about benefits for people, places, and the natural environment.  

The Heritage Fund helps protect, transform, and share the things from the past that people care about, from popular museums and historic places, our natural environment, and fragile species, to the languages and cultural traditions that celebrate who we are. 

The Heritage Fund is passionate about heritage and committed to driving innovation and collaboration to make a positive difference to people’s lives today, while leaving a lasting legacy for future generations to enjoy.  

Follow @HeritageFundUK on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram and use #NationalLotteryHeritageFund  www.heritagefund.org.uk.

Further information

For more information contact JRF at info@jasonrobertsfoundation.org

Easter Sunday

On Sunday 31^st March 2024 JRF hosted a special event to celebrate Andrew Cole.

The former Manchester United and England legend who represented a number of top-level clubs in the UK during his playing career was guest of honour at the JRF headquarters – Bridgestone Arena on the Stonebridge Recreation Ground.

The event which was attended by approximately 500 local people formed part of the ongoing Legacy Series, a new initiative which has seen former professional footballers including Emile Heskey and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink immersing themselves in the local Brent community, as well as visiting the recent Cyrille Regis book launch at Harlesden Library.

On the day, coaching sessions for 40 budding community coaches were delivered by Peter Augustine from the Football Association as part of the ongoing continued professional development for these young people, and Walking Football for men and women was at the forefront of the early activities.

The local community and football fans dropped in to meet the footballing legend, take the opportunity for photos, and to meet up with and socialise with old friends over music and refreshments during the all-day event.

Specially made Andrew Cole bibs which referenced all the Clubs he had represented looking at the history and heritage of the player, were a talking point during the session.

Following an hour-long talk where Andrew discussed health, wellbeing, family, and career there was a special presentation by local young people of roses and a Player’s Cap to commemorate the role Andrea plays in inspiring others.

In the afternoon Andrew also kicked off a Ramadan Cup game and met local Somali community leaders in Brent.

The all-day event included health checks being offered by the Clinical Team from Brent Health Matters and there was a Focus Group discussion on prostate Cancer to raise awareness amongst the local community.

There was certainly something for everyone during the special Easter Event which continued into the evening.

On the evening of Thursday 14^th March the JRF Team hosted the launch of a new book written by the late Cyrille Regis’s long-time friend and former West Brom photographer, Laurie Rampling at Harlesden Library.

The book entitled ‘Cyrille Regis; Working Class Hero’ has been keenly anticipated by friends, family, and football fans alike, and depicts the life and career of the footballing legend, in pictures and words.

The large audience had the pleasure of meeting Cyrille’s daughter, Michelle Regis who joined Laurie and JRF’s Michael Adams on the stage, as the journey of the sporting icon was relived.

Local residents, some of whom went to school with Cyrille recalled their childhood memories from school and growing up on the Stonebridge Estate, where the JRF Community Hub is situated.

Jason Roberts, Robert Regis, Cyrille’s son and his brother Dave Regis joined the many online guests who were present to share their own memories. 

The book recently went on sale and has already sold over 2000 copies. With the striking cover emblazoned with the number nine, Cyrille’s number when at West Brom, the book boasts over 70 unseen pictures of the great man, from his football career and his personal life. 

The book can be bought online through:

https://www.curtis-sport.com/online-store/Cyrille-Regis-Working-Class-Hero-p622780280

17^th January 2024

On Wednesday evening the JRF Team including staff, coaches, and volunteers were joined at Bridgestone Arena by children and parents to mark the end of the ‘Inclusive Communities’ project – a sport for all programme for children with physical and learning disabilities (SEND) funded by the Neighbourhood Community Infrastructure Levy (NCIL) and You Decide.

The excited crowd were joined by the Mayor of Brent, Cllr Orleen Hylton, and Senior Grants Officer from NCIL and Brent Council, Danielle Grant-Vest both of whom presented the children with framed certificates and shields to celebrate their individual achievements and progress on the programme.

Before presentations were awarded the crowd enjoyed a film which provided an overview of the activities, excursions, and events that have taken place during the term of the project. They heard from JRF’s CEO Otis Roberts and Media Lead Michael Adams who led on the ‘Find your Voice’ media workshops via the onsite Cultural Media Centre.

Whilst the guests enjoyed refreshments, they heard from other parents who took to the stage to give their feedback on the project and the impact it has had on their child. Many commented on how their child’s confidence and happiness has grown since coming to the sessions, and the strong relationship with the JRF staff and youth volunteers.

The Inclusive Communities Project received overwhelming support from the local community when they were asked to vote for their favourite projects under Brent Council’s new You Decide community grants programme initiative.

Working with local SEND schools the Foundation offered some mid-term sports provision to support PE lessons and hosted an inter-school Sports Day during the summer, bringing children together from different schools.

Half term and summer holiday sessions were integrated alongside mainstream delivery and incorporating a Buddy System, creating an ethos where everyone can take part equally.

Throughout the project there were mentors on hand to instil confidence and self-belief in the children to take part in and try new sports, helping them to overcome barriers. Young people heading into secondary school were supported with the transition, and those aged 14+ were supported with progression pathways to Apprenticeships, training, and work experience to enhance life skills and opportunities.

Parents and carers were supported to form a Parents Active Group to offer respite, create a support network, meet socially, share ideas and information, and it wasn’t long before they had formed a dance group as well as joining in on other JRF activities including sport and fitness, and gardening to green up the local area.

Young volunteers Marley and Eyaad spoke to the audience on the evening about their experience of working on this project. They both said how much they had enjoyed working with the children and seeing them develop and their confidence grow.

Otis Roberts, CEO of the Foundation said; “We understand how vital it is for groups and organisations like us, to break down barriers to participation to sport for children with SEND, to maximise their activity levels, enhance their confidence and self-belief, and enhance their social inclusion. We are hugely grateful to NCIL and the local community for their belief in our ability to deliver this programme. We are now seeking further funding to enable us to continue providing an inclusive programme for our SEND community.”

NOTE

If you are interested in funding or sponsoring JRF to continue delivering the Inclusive Communities programme please contact Business Development Manager, Martene Carroll on martene@jasonrobertsfoundation.org

Next week sees the launch of the Jason Roberts Foundation’s (JRF) Inspire to Achieve (I2A) legacy exhibition programme at Harlesden Library, supported by the Professional Footballers Association (PFA) and Brent Council.

The Exhibition will launch on Saturday 10^th February from 12:00 – 4:00 pm and will continue to be showcased until the June 2024, and will celebrate the rich footballing heritage of Harlesden focusing on a dozen former professional footballers who grew up in Harlesden playing in local parks, attending local schools, and who graced stadiums Nationally and Internationally.

The launch day will welcome special guests including the Stein brothers and former striker Dave Regis who all took part in JRF’s Inspire to Achieve Heritage project, and assistant coach to the England National Team Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink. There will also be a ‘Match of the Day’ performance by a local dance company, Hillside Performing Arts.

The Exhibition is a legacy of JRF’s I2A project which was funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, thanks to National Lottery players, and will give local schools an opportunity to educate students on homegrown sporting heritage which is bound to appeal to budding footballers and keen fans.

The JRF Team are grateful to and hope to develop a closer relationship with Harlesden Library, working with Manager Noman Ali and Brent Museum and Archives working with Heritage Collections and Exhibitions Manager Colin Chester, Heritage Service Officer Rebecca Thompson, and Learning Officer Jana Cameron, to encourage young people who don’t currently use the library, to access their services and resources.

Otis Roberts, CEO of JRF said; “We are delighted to have the chance to extend the I2A Heritage project by showcasing our Exhibition at Harlesden Library. The public venue will provide an ideal opportunity for the local community to learn more about the dozen footballing icons who grew up as their neighbours, and who continue to have a positive impact on the community. We look forward to working with Harlesden Library and Brent Museums and Archives on this and other cultural and heritage projects.”

About Harlesden Library:

Harlesden Library is situated at 49A Craven Park Rd, London NW10 8SE and is open from 10:30 – 6:00 pm weekdays, 10:30 – 5:00 pm on Saturdays, and 12:00 – 5:00 pm on Sundays. Local residents can access the library to borrow books, search the e-library, book a computer and study space, or enjoy a range of activities for all ages. For more information about local Libraries in Brent visit https://www.brent.gov.uk/libraries-arts-and-heritage/libraries