Jamal Edwards Delve (JE Delve or JED) is a grassroots youth charity founded by Jamal Edwards MBE in 2020 providing young people in Ealing with opportunities to learn, work and connect. Through partners, supporters and the wider community, JED aims to provide
– a sense of community for young people in the local area
– a social, safe space of their own where they can develop their skills, explore who they are, connect with others and
– a focus on nurturing a positive identity & agency.

Bashley Road Travellers Site is the home to around 40 children and young people. Travellers are one of the most discriminated against groups in the country, with children and young people frequent victims of bullying, school exclusion and social isolation. On top of this, the government Race Disparity audit in 2018 found that pupils from Gypsy or Roma backgrounds and those from a Traveller or Irish Heritage background have the lowest attainment of all ethnic groups throughout their school years. The Travellers Site on Bashley Road is surrounded by an industrial estate and children do not feel safe leaving the site to play locally due to bullying. There is no record of youth activities ever happening on the Site before planning for this project started.

This project is transforming a currently unused space at the entrance of the Site, next to the Site office, into a communal space. Working with artists, children and young people are designing and making two benches and three murals, as well as raised beds for planting. The Benches are made from galvanised steel and wood, and workshops are enabling young people to learn new skills in MIG welding. The three murals, include mosaics representing past, present and future Traveller culture and identity. For the raised beds, the children and young people are learning how to build structures using wood, before choosing and planting plants to brighten up the space. This project is creating a space of which young people can be proud and a more welcoming entrance to the site for visitors.