What is the Sanjay Mortimer Foundation?
The Sanjay Mortimer Foundation (SMF) is a non-profit initiative to find and assist those with neurodivergent minds to realise their potential through the field of engineering.
Neurodivergent minds often think creatively, they can be analytical, highly focused, excellent problem solvers, have high attention to detail, and think outside the box. They may struggle at school as traditional education systems focus on skills that special educational needs (SEN) students find challenging. This can result in them becoming discouraged and disinterested in learning.
The SMF aims to find these individuals at an early age, and introduce them to a hands-on way of learning, primarily through making. Interactive activities, such as 3D printing, can provide an outlet for SEN individuals, helping them to realise where their talents and strengths lie.
Engineering, in particular, relies on these neurodiverse characteristics. If we, as a foundation, can find and empower these individuals within the engineering world and build their self-esteem, they may well go on to impact the engineering industry and define its evolution, just like Sanjay Mortimer…
Currently the SMF is working towards gaining charitable status. This will mean tax deductible donations, access to funding for charities, increased public interest and the ability to reclaim gift aid. We're not registered YET(!) but will notify you as soon as we are.
Our Mission
"To help those with neurodiverse minds recognise their strengths and talents through engineering and making"
Key Players in the SMF
In order to make the SMF a reality, we rely on some key groups of people to help a small team make a big vision a reality.
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Donors - Your donations are what make the foundation feasible, we are so grateful for donations to date and thank everyone from the bottom of our hearts. Every little helps and your money will go directly to helping an SMF Star navigate the challenging world we live in
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Partners – these are professional bodies who want to help us with our mission, such as 3D printing firms, Engineering institutions, charities etc. We need your support, donations, resources, experience & guidance to help us realise our mission
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Collaborators – these are the volunteers, based in England and Wales, who run the safe spaces where our SMF Stars can learn, thrive and make in - Makerspaces or after-school clubs, holiday club runners, teachers, university tutors, or anyone else that may be able to lend a hand in realising our mission
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SMF Stars – these are neurodiverse individuals, from England or Wales, with an interest in engineering. They may be struggling financially and with mainstream education and would benefit from an alternative way of learning. We will work with our Collaborators to help us find our SMF Stars
Donor
SMF Collaborator
SMF Partner
SMF Star
Why we started the SMF
Our dear friend and E3D-Online co-founder, Sanjay Mortimer, tragically passed away in Nov 21, at the young age of 32. Sanjay was a legend in our industry and played a huge role in revolutionising FDM 3D printing. His reach was global, and news of his death sent shock waves around the world.
Sanjay himself suffered from attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). He was always open about this condition and the challenges it brought, and he was determined to not let it define him.
Those who knew Sanjay up close could quickly see he was a visionary with a brilliant mind. His capacity to think unconventionally drove much of the progress our company and the 3D printing industry has enjoyed. The way he addressed this condition and the success he achieved, combined with his immense passion for 3D printing, and a need to continue his legacy, are why we've formed the Sanjay Mortimer Foundation.
How we're going to do it?
We have created a reusable platform in order to achieve the greatest reach. We are currently only set up to support individuals in England and Wales, but are working behind the scenes to be able to further our reach globally, as soon as we can. We share our mission and lean on the support of our collaborators to help us find our SMF Stars. Building relationships with Partners allows it all to happen.
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Share our Mission
Sharing our mission through our website, social comms, at industry events, with makerspaces, holiday clubs, schools, universities, engineering trade shows and organisations, to name a few. Our hope is that our Collaborators will be the ones who identify potential SMF Stars, and then apply to us for SMF support.
Build Partners & Collaborators
Building a cohort of volunteers (Collaborators), will help us spread the mission and deliver SMF support to the individuals that will benefit from it the most.
Seaking support, donations, resources & experience from large organisations, charities, engineering institutions & firms will help us achieve our mission.
Provide 'SMF Support'
We will work with our collaborators to provide support in the best way possible to each Star. Fees or funding, resources & equipment, training & education, work experience & job opportunities, including access to our network, newsletters and helpful information – as many ways as we can feasibly help.
CONTACT
Unit35a, Monument Business Park, Oxford, OX44 7RW
+44 1865 504133
