Jeredyne Jestina Stanley is a selfless and caring person who puts the needs of others before her own. Compassionate and attentive to people’s wellbeing, she combines a clear sense of purpose with the ability to bring others together and make things happen.
Her passion is to equip women with the skills and support they need to manage their working and family lives without becoming overwhelmed. She understands that learning, confidence and access to the right help can make a lasting difference to a woman and her family.
Her community work began with women and children in her local church in 2007 and 2008. In 2009, she started the Rivers project as a grassroots response to the needs she saw around her, using her own money to keep it going. In 2015, she registered Rivers as a charity and continued working to secure the funding and grants needed to sustain its activities.
Jeredyne recognised that some women faced significant barriers because they could not confidently speak or write English. This affected everyday life, access to services and their ability to help their children with schoolwork.
She bought computers and developed opportunities for women to learn English, numeracy and basic computing. Her response was practical: identify what people needed, create a way for them to learn and support them to take part.
Through Rivers for Women, she created a women-only learning environment that made participation possible for those whose circumstances, values or beliefs could otherwise prevent them from attending. By respecting these boundaries, she helped women access opportunities that had previously felt out of reach.
These sessions also became places where women could speak about difficulties they were facing. Some were experiencing domestic abuse, isolation or uncertainty about their immigration status. Jeredyne listened and connected them with charities and services able to offer appropriate help.
Trust was central to this work. Women felt able to share their fears and worries with someone who understood the barriers they faced and respected their experiences. That understanding helped Jeredyne represent their concerns in discussions with services and decision-makers.
She raised awareness of the obstacles facing minority communities and worked to ensure that women’s voices were heard when services were designed. Her partnerships with other charities, the local MP and the police helped connect community concerns with organisations able to respond.
During the pandemic, her commitment continued. She approached Tesco for food donations, collecting supplies twice a week. Together with her son and volunteers, she repackaged food into parcels for people experiencing loneliness, struggling families and single mothers.
Single mothers also received vouchers and financial help towards baby food and clothing. More than 450 families were supported during this period. Jeredyne also worked alongside the NHS on vaccination awareness and efforts to improve equitable access.
Over the years, her work has supported approximately 2,000 women, with around 300 receiving support annually through ongoing activities. A women’s learning project piloted in 2017 saw participants completing their studies and receiving certificates and awards.
She has encouraged other women to become involved, creating opportunities for volunteers to teach and mentor others. More than 70 volunteers have contributed over the years, extending the support available and giving people a chance to share their own skills.
Recognition of this work has included a Highly Commended distinction at the HSJ Partnership Awards 2022 for addressing health inequalities, the South East regional Health Equalities Award at the NHS Parliamentary Awards 2022, and recognition through the Crawley Community Awards.
Behind these achievements is a sustained commitment to people: the woman learning English, the mother needing help with essentials, the person experiencing isolation and the family unsure where to turn.
Jeredyne deserves recognition for creating opportunities, challenging inequality and making support accessible to those who need it. She has built trust through years of listening and action, helping women gain skills, find support and have a stronger voice in their community.