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THE JPK NEWSLETTER January 2020 Patron: Dame Jane Gow, DBE Sponsored by Ann and Robert Lindsay ‘Challenges’ Now that is a word to which we are all familiar. We cannot count on one hand the obstacles and challenges we have faced over the last 19 years, with 2019 being among them. However, we have overcome the majority and had many successes which are now evident for all to see at the JPK Palm Court Tea Room and Community Training Centre. It has become a thriving community hub and draws more customers daily. This is down to our enthusiastic and dedicated staff and volunteer team and to the wonderful support of the community around us. You may ask why we commenced this journey? Not just to run a tea room and create an additional community facility, but to provide meaningful training opportunities in hospitality and catering for people with a learning disability. They are among the most disadvantaged and vulnerable group in society, but this is where the greatest success story has taken place. All 11 of our students have made great progress during the last nine months. Gradually they have learned and retained the knowledge and skills taught within the hospitality curriculum. Certificated modules have been passed with students moving on to further areas of the curriculum; including money handling and the use of the till and card machine. Apart from the above, all have grown in confidence and self- esteem, as a part of their journey towards independence. However, ‘challenges’, as you might expect have once again arisen. Many prospective students have been refused personal budgets or are being signposted to other, less advantageous day activities! Some students are able to fund themselves from their existing personal budget, others are being funded by their parents or in some cases the JPK is sponsoring them. This is an uncomfortable situation for the JPK Project, as we believe wholeheartedly in ‘equal opportunities’ for all and this is not currently the case. The Trustees of the JPK are therefore, once again, currently challenging this situation but this is a long, drawn-out procedure, as might be expected. It is essential and was always plannedwithin our Feasibility Study (FS), that the Community Training Centre could and would become a stand-alone project and become self-financing from the income of the Palm Court Tea Room, Gift Shop and student fees. Currently therefore, the Community Training Centre is running at a loss and the JPK Project is having to use its own financial resources from within its unrestricted funds. It is estimated that this can be maintained until April. It is a further challenge for us to overcome, but we should be used to this by now! So, 2020 heralds in the New Year with wonderful success stories from 2019, but also some further challenges for 2020. “Perseverance is the hard work you do, after you get tired of doing the hard work you already did” - Newt Gingrich We could not have reached this stage without the wonderful support we have received from so many people in the past, during 2019 and especially over the Christmas period. Thank you, to you all for your support, friendship and hard work during 2019. It is YOU that gives us the strength and encouragement to ‘battle on’ with our endeavours. FURTHER PROGRESS REPORT: Community Training Centre & The Palm Court Tea Room Our customer base has increased substantially over the last three months, which is a great ‘step in the right direction’! From the feedback we receive this is due to the welcoming ambience, the professional yet friendly hospitality of the staff, volunteers and students and the excellent, yet reasonably priced cuisine, prepared ‘in-house’ by Allister, Sue and Simone. However, this alone is not covering the costs and therefore we rely heavily on: The Daisy Chain Gift Shop which provides a 100% profit, thanks to the wonderful donations of unwanted gifts and items which are reasonably priced and beautifully arranged by Doreen. This is becoming an almost a full-time commitment and we are eternally grateful for her ongoing support. 2 The staff, volunteers and students wish you all a very happy New Year and look forward to welcoming you once again to the JPK in 2020. Les Conserves Artisanales – The Preserves ‘branch’ of the JPK is also doing extremely well with sales continually outstripping stock! The presentation packs also sold very well over Christmas. Patrick, ‘Head Preserve Maker’, and assistant Katie, work at weekends preparing their stock when the kitchen is available. Currently, these items make a 100% profit, apart from the use of electricity, as all the ingredients are donated. Patrick says “I enjoy teaching jam and chutney making. It is a privilege to work with people with a learning disability, to discover their potential and develop people towards becoming useful members of society, which is the whole ethos of the JPK”. Our grateful thanks to Patrick and Katie. The Lottery We have received a visit from the SE Representative of The Lottery, Reaching Communities, following an application that we made some time ago for three-year training funding for the CTC. We are encouraged that our application has passed three stages to date having gone before the panel in December and we now await the final stage. With my ‘glass half-full outlook’ this application is looking hopeful, but we could still fall at the final hurdle. This grant will certainly support and secure the training aspects of the Project for the next three years. In addition, the JPK Project is establishing a network with other charities in the area working in the same field and also statutory agencies. Through Eastbourne Job Centre, Disability Employment Services, we have now been issued with our Disability Confidence Certification and we are also now liaising with East Sussex Supported Employment Services. Currently they are only supporting people aged 16-25yrs (the transition stage) from full time education, but this new avenue could provide future students from age 19 and also assist and advise on future employment opportunities for our current students. Phase 2 - Supported Living Accommodation The JPK Project continues to fundraise towards the capital required to commence building the first 8 flats, communal rooms and training classroom. Fundraising to date has been very successful with 50% of the £1.2m capital required. We have approached several Grant Making Trusts who in the past have shown an interest but required us to make more progress before an application can be made. 3 We have also made many new Grant Making Trust Applications and we have been delighted to welcome several of their Trustees to the JPK Project to see for themselves what we have achieved and our future plans for development. This is always encouraging and we are expecting two more visits in January. At the same time we have been fundraising for the furniture and equipment for the flats and communal rooms and have already received donations to ‘fit out’ three flats, plus the furniture and equipment for the communal rooms. In addition, we have been able to fit out the office for the training staff with IT and general furniture and equipment. Further smaller applications have been made for additional IT equipment and furniture for the Training classroom, when established. The JPK Project continually fundraises at every opportunity and we are very grateful to those groups and individuals who fundraise on our behalf. The staff and volunteers are continually looking at ways where they too can fundraise, with regular tombolas – initiated by Old Town Area Panel (OTAP) and boot fairs. This fund allows them to purchase requirements for the CTC. You may well have seen the new signage which was all made possible from their fundraising initiatives and with the support from our customers. In Summary Within the last three months we have made much progress. Some hurdles (difficulties) have developed, it was ever thus, but they are not unsurmountable and we shall overcome them, as usual. In Memory of Carolyn McCutcheon “Mrs Bluebell” The Bluebell Walk It was with great sadness that I learned of the peaceful death of Carolyn on 22nd December, surrounded by her loving family, following a long and courageous battle against cancer which was discovered in 2012. Apart from all her other attributes during her life, Carolyn initiated the idea of opening their Beatons Wood for a Bluebell Walk in 1972. With her family they have raised over £1,000,000 for local charities. Rest in peace and our grateful thanks for your life and your support for the JPK. High Sheriff Visit The High Sheriff of East Sussex, Mrs Violet Hancock, honoured the JPK with a private visit on Friday, 15th November. Mrs Hancock appeared to be impressed by her visit and was given the opportunity to be waited on by our students and meet the staff and volunteers who were on duty that day. 4 FUNDRAISING PROGRESS AND DONATIONS: In the last three months donations and fundraising have made steady progress, especially over the Christmas period, where we have been ‘ducking and diving’ with many fundraising events, some on the same day/evening and with the help and support of Andrew we continue to undertake applications to those Grant Making Trusts where we fit their criteria for funding. We have several applications outstanding, have received some visits from GMT’s and awaiting more scheduled visits in the next month. It is always encouraging to receive a visit, plus they can ‘see and feel’ the JPK which is often difficult to impart in script. We are also grateful to those who regularly make a Christmas donation each year.

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