Patrons meet at JV H.O.M.E

The Kent Invicta Chamber Patrons, who represent key sectors in the county and organisations that support the local business community, met in November for an informal supper to foster and nurture closer relationships.

The event was held in the Café at JV H.O.M.E in Ashford which was one of Ashford Borough Council’s ‘Big 8’ projects. The ‘Big 8’ were major development projects, in and around Ashford, which illustrated how the Council delivers opportunities for new jobs, housing, retail and culture.

JV H.O.M.E provides a new state-of-the art base for the Jasmin Vardimon Dance Academy. Situated in the newly built Creative Enterprise Quarter in Ashford, the building provides 3 dance studios, including one of the largest in the UK, along with meeting rooms, office space and a café. The critically acclaimed Jasmin Vardimon Dance Company tours nationally and internationally, performing at high profile venues across the world.

JV H.O.M.E is a creative hub for dancers and students and is dedicated to the company’s creative research and future productions, educational residencies, and multi-disciplinary artistic study.

Guests were welcomed by Jo James OBE, Chief Executive of Kent Invicta Chamber, who is soon to retire. She thanked Patrons for their support of the Chamber during her tenure.

During the evening, the Patrons were taken on a tour of the building by Megan Saunders,

Head of Creative Learning at Jasmin Vardimon, and were treated to an outstanding dance performance in one of the studios.

After supper, incoming Chief Executive, Tudor Price, introduced Alison Tedbury, Executive Director at Jasmin Vardimon who spoke about what the new facilities meant to the dance company and how it will help to develop Ashford’s cultural base in the future. She asked that attendees might consider taking part in the Academy’s bursary scheme which provides financial support to talented students who do not have the means to pursue a dancing career. She also highlighted that most of the spaces in the building were available to hire should businesses or organisations want to make use of them. Andrew Osborne, Head of Economic Development at Ashford Borough Council, itself a Patron, spoke about the Council’s pride in completing the Big 8 projects and how important JV H.O.M.E will be for inspiring and supporting young dancers, both locally and from across the world.

Photography – Ali Kittermaster