Jeane Freeman OBE

Apex Scotland were saddened to hear over the weekend the news of the passing of Jeane Freeman OBE.

Jeane founded Apex Scotland in 1987, establishing the organisation to support people with criminal convictions into employment and reduce re-offending.

Twenty-five years later Jeane was invited to deliver our annual lecture in which she referred to the invaluable role of Apex Scotland in not only providing services to those we support but also a champion for community engagement and promoter of innovative practice which met local circumstances rather than exploiting one size fits all options.

Our current CEO, Lindsay Fyffe-Jardine said:

“Jeane was a pioneer in Scotland in the field of support for those with experience of the justice system. The work of Apex Scotland today is still rooted in the early beliefs that Jeane held, which was treating someone as a person first and meeting their individual needs. When founding the charity, Jeane recognised that policy shifts were often designed to meet the needs of the existing system than to build strong resilient communities, capable of playing an active part in establishing Scotland as a safer and more just community.
This is a challenge that we still address today. Thanks to Jeane’s legacy, Apex Scotland is in a strong position to challenge stigma, confront inequality and ensure that people with lived experience of the justice system are empowered to contribute fully, shaping safer, fairer, and more compassionate communities.”

On behalf of Apex Scotland and the Board of Trustees we would like to extend our deepest sympathies to Jeane’s family and friends.