The Javan Coker Foundation receives The King’s Award for Voluntary Service
A much loved SEND foundation has been recognised with The King's Award for Voluntary Service 2024.
The Javan Coker Foundation has been awarded the highest honour a local voluntary group can receive in the UK, the equivalent to an MBE.
The Abbey Wood based charity provides vital services for children and young adults with Special Education Needs and Disabilities (SEND), their siblings and parents or carers. They offer a range of services such as after-school classes, holiday programmes and day trips.
It is one of 281 local charities, social enterprises and voluntary groups to receive the prestigious award this year.
Esther Sesay, Co-founder of the Javan Coker Foundation said: “We are honoured and delighted to be awarded this most prestigious award.”
The organisation has previously received the Voluntary Award at the Royal Greenwich Civic Awards in 2022 and were The Mayor’s Charity in 2023.
This year The Javan Coker Foundation is one of this Council’s Black History 365 fundees. They will be hosting exhibitions on West African culture, arts, artefacts and food, inspired by the life and times of enslaved African mathematician, Thomas Fuller, curated by local parents.
The Mayor of Royal Greenwich Cllr Jit Ranabhat said: “The Javan Coker Foundation is an asset to our community. The organisation empowers families through its bespoke support and I’m beaming with pride that they call our borough home. We want all children to reach their full potential, and this organisation helps children with SEND to do that.
“Javan, Esther, Lawrence and everyone else who have contributed have made the Javan Coker Foundation pivotal to our borough and the work it has done for our families and young people will hold a long-lasting legacy.”