The Javan Coker Foundation celebrates new kitchen refurbishment

Councillors, contractors and supporters came together recently to celebrate the recent kitchen refurbishment of The Javan Coker Foundation in Abbey Wood.

The refurbishment was project managed by our Repairs and Investment Team who enlisted several contractors to transform their kitchen as part of their social value work.   

Vital kitchen equipment, surveys and services were donated by Council contractors and suppliers, Greyline Ltd, Howdens, Tersus and Wolseley. Greyline Ltd also provided staff to remove the old kitchen, fit the units and electrical equipment, lay new floors, rewire the electrics and redecorate the room. 

Working closely with the Council and contractors over six weeks, the Foundation now have a modern and fully accessible kitchen which will enable them to continue to provide up to 225 meals a week for children and families with special education needs and disabilities (SEND).  

Cllr Anthony Okereke, Leader of the Council, said: “One of our missions is to improve our networks with local community groups and partners so we can meet their needs and address challenges together. It is great that we’ve been able to do that at the Javan Coker Foundation, who do such an incredible job of supporting children and families with SEND in our borough.   

“I would like to thank our repairs and investment team and all our contractors who have worked closely with the Foundation to provide them with a modern kitchen that will have a lasting impact on every family that uses the centre. It’s fantastic to see our contractors and suppliers giving back to the local community through their social value work.”  

Esther Sesay, Co-Founder of The Javan Coker Foundation, said: “Our centre is a safe and happy place for children with special needs, their siblings, and the whole family. The new kitchen will help to cement the impact of this centre in the community and will bring families together.   

“We use a family-centred approach to everything that we do, and we are a ‘home away from home’ for a lot of our families who rely on the service we provide. I am over the moon with our new kitchen, and I cannot thank the Council and the contractors enough for making it happen.”  

The Foundation, one of the Mayor of Royal Greenwich’s nominated charities for 2023/4, provides bespoke SEND support to children and their families and carers. They moved into their Abbey Grove base in April, however the kitchen needed a significant overhaul.   

The Foundation is now hoping to provide a far greater range of services for the children and families with SEND who attend the centre. This includes establishing a Healthy Eating Centre, providing additional support for parents through the popular holiday programme Holiday Food and Fun, providing a warm Welcoming Space during the winter months and establishing a food bank for centre users.   

They are currently inviting donations of a range of non-perishable supplies including tin food, toiletries and long-life food for the food bank. Donations can be dropped off Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm at 47 Abbey Grove, London SE2 9EU.   

For more information visit www.javancokerfoundation.org or call 020 3062 6001.