About The Emily Jordan Foundation
The Emily Jordan Foundation (EJF) – was set up by Emily's family and friends after she died in April 2008 in New Zealand, after finishing her Law degree at Swansea University.
Emily understood the difficulties that people with disabilities face, both socially and when trying to gain employment, as she grew up with a brother with moderate learning disabilities.
Emily helped her father, Chris, to set up LAFS, a group that still meets for social interaction, in Kidderminster. She then helped with the setting up and running of Spokes CIC, whilst at University.
When Emily died in April 2008 Chris and Sarah decided to set up The Emily Jordan Foundation, as a lasting legacy to her hard work. This was announced at her Memorial Service.
By August 2008 the charity was established. Over the next 18 months the focus was on raising funds to be able to purchase a unit in Kidderminster, as the charity did not want to start operating without a solid base to build on.
By early 2010 £190,000 had been raised through a variety of fund raising events, and then, with a grant, the Charity purchased a unit on the Finepoint Estate in Kidderminster. This would not have been possible without the incredible support that the family received from friends and many others, who believed in the project.
Soon after Spokes CIC was moved into the new unit, and started to develop the bikes project, with the extra space that was available. The ‘Route to Work’ Diploma Course was also started with Kidderminster College.
In 2013 Twigs, the Horticultural Project was started, after the Charity took over the redundant WFDC greenhouses on Brinton Park. These were due to be demolished, but with a bunch of volunteers and a lot of hard work, were refurbished to become the very busy ‘Garden Centre’ site that Twigs is today.
In the same year Woodworks was set up, working from the Twigs site, building bird boxes, planters, log stores, etc. This provided yet more variety for people with learning disabilities, to learn new skills and enjoy a range of different projects.
In May 2015 Go Green was started, for people with more complex needs. This was a project being run by WCC in Kidderminster, that was due to close. Chris approached WCC and from discussions and a tender process the project was moved to the Finepoint site, and has continued to develop since to incorporate crafts and light manufacturing.
This range of projects, along with Pots, the latest development, now covers a wide range of different areas for the people who come to the Foundation to experience. This was always the aim:
To support people with learning disabilities to lead fulfilled lives.
Today the Charity is also involved in developing work based contracts for people with learning disabilities, to enable them to earn some money for a few hours work a week. This primarily covers Ground Maintenance, and works on local industrial estates and with Severn Trent at the local reservoir. The jobs covered include strimming, mowing, litter picking, putting up signs and bird boxes, etc.
The aim of this is to support people to learn the skills required, to enable them to enter some type of full time work in the future, for the benefit of them and society.
This project will continue to develop in the future.