In 1982 HBWG disbanded. The remaining women and other community members established a new organisation to continue the work which led to the birth of the Claudia Jones Organisation (CJO) and the Ackee Housing Project (AHP), both formally established in 1982.
Our name was chosen to honour pioneering Trinidad born activist and journalist Claudia Jones, who was one of the founding members of the Notting Hill Carnival and the West Indian Gazette the UK’s first black owned newspaper. The two organisations were housed in our historic building on Palatine Road just around the corner from CJO’s current location.
This building has become a sanctuary and refuge for our community to come together and to take pride in our culture and heritage.
AHP now operates from its own building continuing to provide housing support to black women.
For more than 40 years we have worked to champion and empower the lives of African Caribbean women and their families and to provide them with the support they need to reach their full potential.
We have worked in partnership with Hackney Council, charities and the NHS to deliver services for the oldest and youngest members of our community.
With the current climate (after-effects of Covid-19 Pandemic and cost of living crisis) there is a huge demand for our services, and they have become more vital than ever before.
Please donate what you can and make a difference now.
Important dates in the history of the Claudia Jones Organisation
1980s |
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| 1980 | Launch of the Hackney Black Women’s Group |
| 1982 | The closure of the Hackney Black Women’s Group leads to the launch of the CJO and the Ackee Housing Project |
| 1986 | The CJO Saturday school is established to provide the educational project to children of African Caribbean heritage due to discrimination in the education system. The school closed in 2010 |
| Planned and Organised fundraising activities to support the hosting of Jamaican and European Youth visits to London | |
| 1987 | CJO moved into our current building on 103 Stoke Newington Road |
| Classes on African & Caribbean Creole language | |
| Health Education Conference – sickle cell, psychology, heart/stroke prevention, dyslexia | |
| 1988 | Launched a project to provide training and encouragement for members of the African Caribbean community to become school governors |
| Alternative Medicine Seminar | |
| Held a careers information conference for parents and children | |
| 1989 | Planned and Organised a conference for black women and children with disabilities |
| Planned and Organised a conference on black women and mental health | |
1990s |
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| 1991 | Planned and Organised events and workshops on racism and Aids |
| 1992 | Lupus Support Group |
| 1994 | Worked in partnership with the University of London to provide courses for the local community |
| Health Day – massage, oral hygiene, chiropody, exercise | |
| Summer School | |
| 1996 | Recognised by the Trinidad and Tobago Nationals Foundation ‘as one which preserved and excelled in the areas of Caribbean community education” |
| 1997 | Health Conference for men |
| Conference on living with Lupus | |
| Held a meeting on guidance for parenting advice | |
| 1998 | Planned and Organised a Health Promotion conferences |
2000s |
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| 2000 | Held cultural events days including |
| 2000s | Held a joint event with Dianne Abbott MP around education within the community |
| 2002 | CJO Children’s Harp Music group performed the Queen’s Golden Jubilee in the garden of St James Palace |
| 2003 | Received an achievement award from the British Black Music History Day |
| Held a youth drug awareness day | |
| 2005 | Held groups for ‘teenage before and beyond pregnancy’ parents |
| 2006 | Released research examining the low numbers of black families receiving Family Group Conferences. |
| Held dyslexia awareness workshops | |
2010s |
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| 2011 | Caribbean folk dance, storytelling and music workshop |
| 2012 | Launch the Big Lottery funded ‘Repairing Relationship Project’ to help families access counselling |
| 2015 | Launch of Bonding with Baby programme |
2020s |
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| 2020 | The Covid-19 Pandemic leads to a huge increase in demand for our services |
| Launch of Food Hub for families in need of food and supplies | |
| Launch of Warm Spaces for the elderly due to isolation and increased heating costs | |
| 2021 | Joined the Windrush Justice Clinic to help people affected by the Windrush scandal receive compensation |
| 2022 | Launch of our Parent Champion programme |