Since childhood, Jo has strongly believed in the importance of ‘giving back’ and has engaged in many different philanthropic and hands-on charity activities, from helping to establish a Peace Garden in Alexandra Park in her adopted home town of Hastings to putting on a soup lunch fund-raiser in aid of the Refugee Community Kitchen in Calais and Dunkirk.
She is a Matron of the Women’s Environmental Network, and for the past 15 years (with her colleague, motivational coach Sharron Lowe) has run a transformative self-esteem and confidence programme for young women at Centrepoint, the London homeless charity, in addition to organising and packing hundreds of Christmas gifts for the Centrepoint residents each year alongside a team of volunteers.
To quote John Raynham, Head of Fundraising and Marketing for Centrepoint: 'Jo has supported the homeless young women at Centrepoint for well over a decade, transforming their lives with an innovative beauty and mind makeover programme and drawing upon her networks in the cosmetic industry to donate thousands of beauty gifts for young women at Christmas.
He continues: 'The beauty makeover helps the young women to look good and feel great, raising their confidence and self-esteem. The "Mind Makeover" reminds the young women that they have their whole lives ahead of them and gives them the motivation and self-belief to make the most of the opportunities available to them. The Christmas presents let the young women know that someone is thinking of them on Christmas day, and for many, this is likely to be the only gift they will receive.'