Martin & Val Jourdan

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Martin Jourdan born ? was the son of Hans & Peggy Jourdan

Enid Valerie 'Val' Evered born 1941 was the daughter of ?

Martin and Val married in 1963 They moved into Grace Cottage built in the grounds of Gracefield

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Note by Joan West. I knew Martin and Val in Lacey Green - our children were the same age, but lost touch when they moved away. In 2025 I went to the funeral of Frances Thomas-Davies (click John & Frances Thomas-Davies for more of Frances).

Donations were requested for ABCD, a charity with which I knew Frances had long been associated. I was amazed to receive thanks for the donation, which had been sent on behalf of our 'West' family, from the founder of ABCD - Valerie Jourdan, MBE.

I then found the following entry in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office 2015 New Years Honours List for Britons in recognition of their exeptional service to Britain overseas.

MBE to Valerie Jourdan for services improving the lives of disabled children in the West Bank.

Valerie Jourdan, founder, Action around Bethlehem for Children with Disability (ABCD) Palestinian Territories. For services to improving the lives of disabled children in the West Bank.

Valerie Jourdan, a qualifed physiotherapist took a year's sabbatical in Bethlehem in 1983 to help treat physically and mentally disabled children on the West Bank and in Gaza as part of the Bethlehem Arab Society for Rehabilitation (BASR).

Profoundly influenced by her experience she returned to Bethlehem determined to set up an organisation dedicated to supporting and paying salaried young Palestinian women who had dependent disabled children. It would be non-political and its objective would be to bring help to children with physical and mental difficulties alongside supporting their families. She founded Action around Bethlehem Children with Disability (ABCD) in 1986.

ABCD's community rehabilitation centres have had a significant impact on disabled children, their families and the community, with over 10,000 children and young adults benefitting from the care of BASR and the day centres instigated by ABCD.

Note by Joan West. In her letter in 2025 Val wrote " Frances was a dear friend and fellow physio who helped me set up the charity, which has gone from strengh to strength over the past 40 years - much of the early work was due to her expertise.