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Brenda Edwards has spoken of the “scary” passage of time since her son Jamal’s death, as she marked the four-year anniversary by opening a new community hub in his memory.
The Loose Women panellist described the launch as an “amazing feeling”.
The Jamal Edwards Self Belief Trust unveiled its Self Belief Creative Community Hub in west London on Friday.
The opening coincided with the anniversary of the passing of the pioneering DJ and music entrepreneur, who died on 20 February 2022 at the age of 31.
Established by Edwards and her daughter Tanisha Artman soon after Jamal’s death, the charity is dedicated to fostering community and supporting young people, aiming to “carry on his legacy”.
Edwards said that her work with the trust has been “absolutely pivotal”, describing it as the “driving force” in navigating her grief.
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Jamal Edwards died on 20 February 2022 aged 31 (AFP via Getty Images)
She said: “The fact that I know that I’m trying to carry on his legacy to help young people is an amazing feeling.”
Edwards added: “I’m literally transforming what he was doing and what he wanted me to address, which was helping young people and bringing everybody together as a community.”
Speaking about her son’s death, she said: “It’s really quite scary to think that it’s four years this Friday.
“There’s not a day that I obviously don’t speak to him in my mind. I really feel his presence and that that really helps me.
“It’s really hard every day. But I know he is watching saying: ‘Come on, mummy, come on.’”
Jamal gained fame after setting up the music platform SBTV in 2006, and was credited with helping to launch a string of UK music acts to stardom, including Dave, Jessie J and Ed Sheeran.
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Brenda Edwards (left) and his sister Tanisha Artman (Beresford Hodge/PA)
He was also an ambassador for the Prince’s Trust, a charity headed up by the Prince of Wales, and in 2014 was awarded an MBE for his services to music.
Brenda described her son as “very selfless” and said he was “always thinking of others”, adding: “I think he got such a great joy out of that, and it’s taught me a lot as well.”
The Self Belief Community Hub is a space “dedicated to empowering young people”, giving them a space where they can “build their futures”, according to the trust.
The trust said the hub will host a programme of events focused on creativity, wellbeing, life skills and employability, and has facilities including music and podcast studios, co-working spaces and a subsidised kitchen with daily meals.
Brenda said it is about bringing the community together and offering support, and said that Jamal came up with the idea “the year before he became forever 31”.
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Brenda Edwards is a regular on Loose Women (ITV)
She said: “Everything that I’m doing is based on his letter of wishes that he left for me with his will.”
Brenda called the letter a “guiding force” for her, adding: “In the letter, he said that he wanted young people to be at the forefront of everything that I do.
“His whole mantra was self belief. That legacy will always remain, and people will always be speaking about him and know of him as somebody that wanted to bring communities together.”
The hub is located on the housing estate in Acton where Jamal grew up, which Brenda said makes her feel “so close” to him.
She called it “totally full circle”, and added: “It was really weird. It’s a major feeling.
“Bittersweet, because I know he would have wanted to see this in fruition, but I get the strength from the fact that I know that he’s there and he’s watching.”
Further information about the Self Belief Creative Community Hub can be found on the charity’s website at www.jesb.co.uk.
