Jenny Smith, Partnership Manager for the BLC sadly passed away from Ovarian Cancer at the end of August. Her colleague and long-time collaborator Rachel Thomas reflects on the incredible work that Jenny enabled over the many years she worked for BLC. Friends and colleagues who worked with Jenny or were involved in her projects are invited to share their memories below to help celebrate her life and work.
Jenny Smith was the Partnership Manager for Brixton Learning Collaborative working closely with school staff across the 15 schools in the partnership for over a decade, networking with a wide range of community groups and organisations across Lambeth in support of BLC schools, pupils and families. She supported, encouraged and was an unwavering advocate for schools, recognising where support might be needed and finding many brilliant ways to provide that.
Having previously worked as an arts project lead for both the Norwood Achievement Partnership and Brixton and North Lambeth Education Action Zone, Jenny really understood the importance of the arts and creativity for children and young people, not just to nurture creative imagination but also as a matter of social justice. She knew the unique power of the arts to transform classrooms and communities into fairer, kinder, more understanding places giving a voice to those who have been unheard or overlooked. She initiated many partnership projects, working with national and local arts organisations, championing local young artists, securing funding to support training programmes for teachers to help them feel more confident in developing creative classrooms and providing opportunities that celebrated the whole local community.
She secured partnerships in science, maths and sports to help schools develop best practice in support of children’s future life chances and was always mindful of promoting opportunities for underrepresented groups of young people.
Jenny was passionate about helping schools develop greater understanding and support for pupils’ mental health and wellbeing, particularly important during and in the years following Covid pandemic when she instigated partnership work with a range of organisations and funders. She brought together school staff with expert practitioners, found ways to support parents and families, wrote numerous funding applications and established networks of colleagues coming together to share good practice for lasting impact.
‘Share A Smile’ was a joint wellbeing project with BLC and the Windmill Cluster, developed in summer 2021 during Covid pandemic when schools were having a really tough time and needing to keep isolated. It represents so much of what Jenny was all about, involving pupils being provided with resources to lead a smiling campaign in their own setting – working with an artist to create a box that would be exchanged with another school – the boxes included drawings, top-tips, stories, jokes, things that keep you happy and make you smile as a way of keeping children in touch with one another and the wider community. Over the weeks Jenny cycled between schools, carrying the boxes between the many groups involved, sharing smiles, giving hope and keeping people connected.
Jenny was a true friend to the BLC. Her work has had a lasting impact for hundreds of pupils, very many teachers and other staff all of whom have massively benefitted from her commitment to our schools and the wider Lambeth community. Thank you Jenny, we will miss you very much.
Principal of Saint Gabriel’s College and BLC Chair Nick Butler said, “The 15 schools of the BLC all felt that Jenny was a member of their school community as she was fantastic at building strong relationships with everyone she worked with. She was highly knowledgeable about fund-raising and a very capable project organiser: two rare and valuable skills for schools. We all really appreciated working with Jenny as she was always relaxed, unpretentious and understanding, whilst doing a very high-quality job. Like anyone who is highly skilled at what they do, she made her complex job seem easy. We miss her as a valued colleague and friend”.
Share your memories
We encourage all who knew her to share their memories of either working with Jenny or being involved in the many and varied BLC projects over the last decade. Please post your memories in the comment box below.
Donating in her memory
If you would like to make a donation in memory of Jenny, her daughters Hannah and Megan, have set up a JustGiving page raising money for the UK’s Ovarian Cancer Charity, Ovacome. Before Jenny passed away in August 2023 she was supported by the charity and its extensive community. Please visit the JustGiving page for more details.
The Brixton Learning Collaborative 
Jenny was a fantastic supporter of the Ri Masterclass programme and I count myself fortunate to have had the opportunity to work with her. I was particularly grateful for the opportunity you all afforded me, to work with you during the pandemic, to continue to bring Masterclasses to children in challenging circumstances. I will remember Jenny with great affection and her wise insights will remain with me.
Alison Eves, Royal Institution
She was completely brilliant; her modesty in championing the schools and young people she worked with, and her tireless commitment to creativity as a powerful vehicle for improving life chances. I’ll be holding onto her grace and kindness
Georgia Attlesey, Pudding
It was such a pleasure to work with Jenny on the Wellbeing Ambassador Programme and her passion for the work was so evident in all the interactions I had with her. It was incredible how she continued to work even when she was so unwell. I admired her determination and her ongoing positive outlook even when things were so challenging for her
Hannah Joyce, Emotional Literacy Practitioner
What incredibly sad news. Jenny’s hard work has had a huge impact on the Stockwell community. She will be greatly missed. Sincere condolences from all of us at Stockwell Primary
I feel so lucky to have met Jenny and the (school) community was so lucky to have her too – no doubt she’s leaving quite the legacy
Julika Neihaus, Impact in Urban Health
I am so saddened to hear of Sister Jenny’s passing. She was a beautiful human being with so much love to give. It was always a pleasure to be in her company. My memories of her will never fade, she was an original masterpiece and she touched so many lives.
Adisa, performance poet
Jenny’s warm energy and commitment to helping everyone is something that will be dearly missed.
Harriet Kelly, Pegasus Opera
What an absolutely wonderful lady Jenny was. Her enthusiasm was infectious and her love of people shone through.
Caroline Boury, Boury Academy
I am so grateful I met Jenny. Her warmth and wisdom radiated and I will miss her.
Sheryl Malcolm, drama practitioner
I’m so sorry to hear this terribly sad news. I loved working with Jenny over the last 4 or so years and she was always such wise-counsel. She will be truly missed in Lambeth.
Dan Hogan, Walcot Foundation
That is immensely sad. Jenny was such a sincere and committed person. What a great loss to the community.
Ben Cuddon, Climate Ed
It is incredibly sad to hear. Although I have only recently joined the community, Jenny was so helpful, welcoming and kind.
Una Sookun, Principal, Evelyn Grace Academy
Jenny made the cross-schools research project “In My Own Words” happen. She imagined how a storytelling project in my school could be the catalyst for a creative research project across local schools. She knew how to do this because she knew us so well and how the arts and creativity can transform learning. She was an unwavering advocate for teachers and schools, giving us a voice to lead learning and encouraging us to be researchers.
Becky Lawrence, Hill Mead Primary School