The Ember Trust Legacy (1994-2020)
The Ember Trust (Charity Number 1031548) was established and registered January 1994. It had been the vision of Phil Broad, to see a double-decker bus used as a mobile coffee bar and information centre in the town where youngsters could have somewhere safe to meet in the evenings.
The long-term aims of the Trust were to have permanent premises, offering the same facilities but, additionally, quiet spaces where homework could be done and students given additional support from teachers and medical advisors, where help and confidential guidance would be available.
The yellow Ember Trust bus became a familiar sight in Tonbridge and surrounding areas in 1995 and a permanent building at the old Star & Garter pub soon followed and became known as ‘switches’. In 1999, the Trust employed its first full-time Youth Worker.
During late 2000 and early 2001, the Ember Trust revised its aims to work with the town’s secondary schools. The Trust worked in five secondary schools in Hildenborough and Tonbridge, taking assemblies and R.E. lessons, and helping lead Christian Unions. The Trust employed two youth workers, one full-time and one part-time and worked with the other youth workers employed by churches in town on initiatives such as their monthly ‘FUSED’ youth service and the Tonbridge Churches’ Youth Committee.
In 2014 the Trust still continued to serve the young people in and around Tonbridge by providing financial to support local initiatives and youth projects through its grants programme.
In 2020 the trustees decided to transfer its assets to the newly formed EMBER Youth initiative started by Billy and Toni. EMBER Youth continues the Trusts founding objectives to meet young people in and around Tonbridge, where they are, supporting their physical, mental, emotional and spiritual health.