Abundance London Takes on its First Paid Staff Member
Funding allows volunteer-led group to recruit Head of Community Projects
Jen Thorndycraft. Picture: Chris Tetlow
January 25, 2025
A Chiswick based voluntary organisation which promotes environmental and educational community projects in the area is taking on its first paid member of staff.
Since its foundation in 2010, most of the work carried out by Abundance London has been on an unpaid basis. But now, thanks to a donation from the JJM Fund, managed by The Talent Fund, it is able to employ a staff member for one day a week for a year.
Jen Thorndycraft will be joining as Head of Community Projects. She has been volunteering with Abundance for 18 months, leading the Beaconsfield Gardens project on Acton Lane. She will continue to do this as a volunteer, while also working for Abundance London in close partnership with the founder-director, Karen Liebreich, and all the volunteers and existing ‘Head Gardeners’ and fruit pickers.
The news of the appointment was announced to the main volunteers at a networking and upskilling event, a Willow Weaving Workshop, funded by Hounslow Council and the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.
Karen Karen Liebreich said: ‘We are absolutely delighted to welcome Jen, and so grateful to the JJM Fund, who approached us via the Talent Fund, having identified us as a group that could do more, given the right support.’
Jen Thorndycraft added, ‘I can see the impact that Abundance has had on my community and I am thrilled to be able to do more of the same in as many places around west London as possible.’
New projects are already in the pipeline with community centres, housing estates and West Middlesex Hospital, and further pocket parks are being planned.
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