Category: charity

Activities, charity, Community News, Events

Stand Up to Stand Out!

The Net Community Hub

Stand Up to Stand Out is coming to the Net on Monday, April 7th!

As part of their government funded initiative, Funny Women is bringing its unique workshop to the hub.

As we get older we get funnier (we know, we’ve got a lot of budding comics at the hub – even if they don’t mean to be!!)

Although accessible to older people, all ages are welcome to come along to this confidence boosting, mirth making and fun workshop, and it’s free courtesy of the Shared Prosperity Fund from local and national government.

In this workshop, Lynne Parker, CEO of Funny Women, deploys some of the tried and tested tricks of the comedy trade to provide insights and inspiration for anybody who wants to take on leadership roles, speak in public and tell their story. We would particularly like to encourage those of you who stand back from taking on community leadership roles due to a lack of confidence – Medway is full of amazing people and we’re here to stand by your side.
 
This workshop covers:

  • Advice on how to ‘perform’, express yourself memorably and bring your ideas to life.
  • Techniques to communicate more effectively.
  • Knowing your worth – telling your own story, creating your own material, interpreting body language, and becoming more confident and memorable.
  • Law of attraction – how to connect with the people you need, virtually and in person, and how humour can help you keep them interested without being annoying.
  • Charisma, confidence and leadership skills.
  • De-stressing in an instant by having some fun!

The Schedule:

5:00pm  arrivals, refreshments
5.15-6.45pm workshop
6.45pm networking

7.00-8.00pm Open Mic
8.00pm CLOSE

Book early as spaces are limited to 30. You can also make a donation to Funny Women’s chosen cause, Wisdom Hospice Charity if you wish.

Check out all events in the Comedy in the Community Medway programme here.

Activities, charity, Community News, Events

Medway Women’s History Month Event: Finale Day at the Net Community Hub

The Net Community Hub

Last chance to celebrate Medway Women’s History Month!

Saturday 29th March from 12 noon. Doors open 11am for refreshments. All three events have their own separate tickets below the information.

The first event of the day, and we’re talking to fearless females who founded their own companies which culturally enrich their communities. From 12noon-1pm, meet Medway’s Creative Women.

The conversation will be chaired by our Project Manager, Jaye Nolan, who also founded the Rochester Literature Festival, our partner in these events. Festival Director Jaye has been a member of Medway’s cultural and creative community since 2010. A freelance writer since 2007, Jaye founded the festival in 2011, as a website resource to collate writing opportunities, but this quickly turned into live events – and here we are, 14 years later!

Lynne Parker decided twenty years ago that women were funny, after taking exception to a man telling her they weren’t. She promptly founded Funny Women CIC and set out to prove it. It’s just entering its twenty second year, with community projects, business training and awards among its many strands dedicated to empowering women in comedy and life in general.

Sue Davis, a freelance web content trainer also joins the panel. There is a major digital divide between the sexes when it comes to Information and
Communication Technologies (ICT) around the world. Sue will share how she overcame the obstacles to create her own niche.

Reserve your space here

At 2pm, the Medway Women’s History Month team, led by Georgia Read-Cutting will host an interactive session to celebrate incredible women that no-one has heard of – prepare to be shocked! Bring along the name of the woman who most inspired you to share with the group, and we’ll see what else Alexa can find out about her – she might even make it into Georgia’s ‘Notable Women’ book, currently being written 🙂

Reserve your space here

Then from 4pm, join us for music, poetry and comedy, with a set from one of Medway’s most talented songstresses, Didi Bergman, who appeared at the launch of the Rochester Literature Festival, our Garden Party in Eastgate House Gardens nearly thirteen years ago!

Didi started working in several bands in 1993 as a bass player and backing vocalist, for about ten years. After that, she sang main vocals in a duo called Bergman Sigh. Her partner bought her a guitar and she started making up chord shapes and songs, and was invited out to play by some of her younger musician friends. She ended up playing small festivals and local pubs, once supporting Hazel O Connor. She has also been on bills with Martin Carthy, Nick Harper, and Judy Dyble. We can’t wait to hear her again 🙂

We’re also delighted that another long time friend of the RLF, the lovely Tender Eye, will share some poetry with us, along with comedy and poetry from some of the creative members of the MWHM team. And then, we party (BYOB!).

Reserve your space here.

The events are free, although there is a donation ticket, and tea and coffee will be available for a suggested £1 donation. If you have difficulty due to mobility or finance issues attending the hub, please contact Jaye at: community@waldersladehub.org as there is a travel bursary available to people living in Medway.

For the full programme, visit here.

We do hope you can join us 🙂

Activities, charity, Community News, Events

Medway Women’s History Month Event – Overcoming Adversity: Medway’s female community doers

The Net Community Hub

Saturday 22nd March from 1pm-2pm (as part of Brainstormz!). Doors open 12.15pm. You can book tickets here.

The Net Community Hub plays host to three extraordinary women, who, in spite of the difficulties they face, make the lives of Medway residents so much richer.

Sue Bulpin, Sam Rapp and Kate Belmonte are in conversation on Saturday, March 22nd at the Net Community Hub from 1pm.

Sue lives with Functional Neurological Disorder and, as she put it “hit a wall” at weekends. Volunteering since she was forced to give up work due to her condition, Sue kept herself busy all week but found herself losing energy at the weekends.

Thus Brainstormz! was born. Beginning at the Hub on Saturday afternoons and now expanded to Rainham Healthy Living Centre on a Monday, Sue has engaged many people with neurological conditions, and was rewarded with being a Pride in Medway finalist in 2022, MVA’s Volunteer of the Year in 2023, and being chosen as one of only 500 Royal Voluntary Service’s Coronation Champions, also in 2023.

Sam Rapp, the Dyslexic Poet, is a lawyer by trade and if that wasn’t impressive enough in itself, she has been a stalwart of Medway’s creative writing scene for many years. She has performed as The Dyslexic Poet in the UK and internationally, and has won awards for her poetry and plays. She runs many creative writing workshops under the banner of Fun With Words Productions, dedicated to making writing fun for all abilities.

Sam is chair of Dyslexia House Association, Medway and Co-Chair of the disabled staff network for legal services in the public sector. She writes a regular blog for Dyslexia Scotland and has published her first book Rant Dyslexic Me.

Kate Belmonte co-founded and is the director of an award winning local non-profit social enterprise, the Mutual Aid Road Reps, which was created in 2020 to combat loneliness and isolation across the Medway Towns during the pandemic. It continues to expand, offering essential services such as befriending, shop and drops and taking people to appointments.

Self employed since 2007, Kate ran a sign company before specialising in graphic design and website building. She has worked with and for small businesses across the Medway. A keen environmentalist, she has campaigned to protect our green spaces and agricultural land in Rainham, Twydall and on the Hoo Peninsula, and stood as the Green Party candidate in Gillingham and Rainham at the last general election.

We’re honoured to host Sue, Sam and Kate. The event is free, and tea and coffee will be available for a suggested £1 donation. If you have difficulty due to mobility or finance issues attending the hub, please contact Jaye at: community@waldersladehub.org as there is a travel bursary available to people living in Medway.

For the full programme, visit here.

We look forward to seeing you.

charity, Community News

We’re hiring!

The Net Community Hub

Are you looking for a rewarding position in an organisation that makes a huge difference to local people?

We are seeking a customer-focused individual for a part-time Assistant Manager position. This role is crucial in providing a warm and welcoming space for our local residents to combat social isolation and loneliness. This is an extremely rewarding role for the right person, who will become part of a close knit community.

Key Details

  • Location: 70 Silverweed Road, Walderslade ME5 0QX
  • Hours: Average 10 hours per week (flexible, ranging from 7-16 hours per week)
  • Salary: £12 per hour
  • Holiday: 5 weeks paid holiday per annum
  • Start Date: December 2nd, 2024

Key Responsibilities

  1. Operational Management
    • Act as premises keyholder and ensure security
    • Manage room setup and maintenance
    • Oversee petty cash and invoicing
  2. Community Engagement
    • Run day-to-day sessions and activities
    • Develop new ideas for community engagement
    • Network with other third-sector organizations
  3. Administration
    • Handle emails and general administrative tasks
    • Maintain and update policies and schedules
    • Manage the charity’s website and social media presence
  4. Team Leadership
    • Manage volunteer keyholders and sessional volunteers
    • Coordinate with the board of Trustees and Project Manager
  5. Fundraising and Event Management
    • Assist with fundraising efforts
    • Participate in community events

Qualifications and Skills

Essential

  • Strong customer service background
  • Empathy and ability to work with vulnerable individuals
  • Initiative, organization, and efficiency
  • Strong leadership skills
  • Flexibility regarding work hours
  • Physical ability to handle furniture and setup tasks

Desirable

  • General administration skills
  • Familiarity with Google Drive, WordPress, X, WhatsApp, and Facebook (training provided).
  • Knowledge of Safeguarding, First Aid, and Health & Safety (training provided)

Working Hours and Conditions

  • Flexible hours, averaging 10 per week plus occasional overtime
  • May include evenings and weekends
  • Must be available for specific dates in 2025: 7-17 May and 2-16 July

Application Process

  1. Submit your application to: community@waldersladehub.org
  2. Application should include:
    • CV
    • Cover letter outlining your suitability for the role.

Deadline for applications: 4th November Interviews: November

Equal Opportunities

The Net Community Hub is an equal opportunity employer. We welcome applications from all qualified individuals.

For any questions or further information, please contact Jaye at community@waldersladehub.org.

About us

The Net Community Hub (Charity number 1167351) is a small community space in Weedswood, offering a range of sessions, support groups and access to local agencies. Our aim is to benefit vulnerable Walderslade residents, with a particular emphasis on the lonely and isolated of all ages, by providing inclusive recreational opportunities to improve their health and wellbeing and reduce social isolation and loneliness.

charity, Community News, Health and Wellbeing, Premises, Resources, walt

Local Lifesaver – Defibrillator now installed

The Net Community Hub
The local community attend the launch

A brand new defibrillator was installed outside the hub on Friday 14th June.

The launch at 3:30pm was attended by a choral ensemble from Oakland Primary School, bringing a large crowd together to support this important emergency health resource being established for the immediate community.

The event was also supported by Guy Thompson, who works as a member of NHS ambulance crew but provides emergency support as a volunteer First Responder when not at work. He is offering to run a session at the NET to demonstrate the ease with which this can be used when a cardiac arrest is suspected. The date for this will be shared when it’s been set.

The installation was a culmination of a long campaign by Geoff Walters, a board member of both The Net and WALT, following a successful application to Health and Social Care. Together with funding contributed from Councillors Esther Cook and Eddie Peak, WALT and support from the congregation of St Philips & St James, the defibrillator was publicly launched.

MHS coordinated the installation at The Net, connecting to its electrical supply, and will ensure its ongoing maintenance.

To use the defibrillator, you call 999, who advise a code to open it and give guidance for use.

Oaklands School pupils sang ‘You’ve got a friend in me’

charity, Community News, Volunteers

Brainstormz! Volunteer Sue is crowned as a Coronation Champion!

The Net Community Hub

We are thrilled that one of our star volunteers, Sue Bulpin, has been selected as one of the 500 official Coronation Champions.

Sue lives with Functional Neurological Disorder but in spite of this, she runs a peer support group called Brainstormz! at the Net Community Hub on Saturday afternoons, for people with similar brain conditions and injuries. Sue supports her group with art therapies and by sharing advice, and provides a warm and welcoming space for those like herself, who tended to “hit a wall” at the weekend.

Commenting on becoming a Coronation Champion, Sue said: ”I’m amazed that I’ve got picked to go through – things like that don’t happen to me! It’s second nature what I do, I just enjoy helping people and giving back to the community, seeing people smile. I’m proud of what I’ve done and am excited to go to the celebration event. I’m proud of what the people I’ve supported have achieved, that gives me a lot of satisfaction.” 

The Coronation Champions Awards, launched by Royal Voluntary Service and supported by Her Majesty The Queen Consort, is all about celebrating the work of extraordinary volunteers across the UK. 

A total of 500 volunteers have been selected as Coronation Champions and will receive an official Coronation Champions pin badge, a signed certificate from Their Majesties, and an invite to one of the Coronation Celebrations, such as the Windsor Castle Coronation Concert or a Coronation Garden Party.

Huge congratulations to our Sue, who is off this weekend to the concert at Windsor Castle (we’ve never seen her so excited!) and will be proudly wearing her new pin badge. And quite possibly a new hat, shoes, coat … 😀

Find out more about the awards here: https://www.royalvoluntaryservice.org.uk/volunteering/coronation-champions-awards/

charity, Community News, Funding, fundraising

An encouraging final phase of the year as funding rolls in

The Net Community Hub

Huge thanks to us from three of our biggest supporters over the last five years.

Firstly, we received another £10k grant from The National Lottery Community Fund, which will cover most of our regular activity sessions for the next twelve months.

Following on from the advise of that, the Sir George Earle Benevolent Fund via the Kent Community Foundation has awarded us £3000 towards our costs costs, covering the period now to the end of February.

And at the end of November, we will be receiving our main tranche of funding from the Cooperative Community Fund, which will be used to run our Brainstormz! session (Saturdays, 1-4pm).

None of what we do would be possible without the generous support of our local community, both national and Medway lottery players and the fundraisers brought together under the Kent Community Foundation banner. You’re our heroes!

The Medway Lottery is an ongoing opportunity to raise funds for us – set up your account and choose us as your charity here.

Activities, charity, Community News, Funding, fundraising, walderslade together, walt

The 2.6 Challenge to raise much needed funds

The Net Community Hub

26challenge

The 2.6 Challenge is a simple and fun way for everyone to do their bit to help save the UK’s charities. 

Sunday 26 April was the scheduled date of the 40th London Marathon, traditionally a huge earner for charities throughout the UK.

Due to the COVID19 outbreak, this – along with many other fundraising activities – has been cancelled. In response, the organisers of the biggest mass-participation sports events across the country have come together to create a new campaign to raise vital funds to help save the UK’s charities.

This is a challenge for all ages and abilities and all you need to do is think of an activity based on the London marathon around the numbers 26 or 2.6.  

This could be something as simple as pledging to run 2.6 miles as your daily exercise to doing 26 minutes of yoga or even juggling for 26 minutes non-stop. The only requirement is that the activity must follow the Government guidelines on exercise and social distancing. 

Thousands of fundraising events across the UK have been cancelled due to Covid-19 with a devastating impact on charity income that means many charities are facing closure. The National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO) CEO Karl Wilding estimates that the UK charity sector will lose £4 billion in income as a result of the pandemic. 

This impacts all sectors of society – from children to the elderly – as well as the vital work in areas such as palliative care, serious diseases, mental health, housing support, food supplies and countless others that charities support. 

We’ve seen overwhelming support from the public for Medway’s charities and community groups, working with Public Health Medway, to ensure that the vulnerable people we represent are not forgotten during the lockdown. To help us cover some of our income losses due to the hub closing, and to prepare for getting back to normal, please do what you can as part of the 2.6 Challenge and donate to our fund here: https://localgiving.org/charity/the-net-community-hub/

Thank you.

Activities, charity, Community News, Funding, Support Services

We’re part of the Comic Relief Community!

The Net Community Hub

Brainstormz! Flyer (2)

Our lovely volunteer, Sue, has been rewarded for all her hard work with regard to the Brainstormz! group – our project has received a £3,977 grant from the Comic Relief Community Fund (England), which secures it for the whole year!

Piloted in December, Sue has worked tirelessly to build the group, both physically in the hub (every Saturday from 1-4pm) and on Facebook. It’s open to anyone with a neurological condition (including but not limited to e.g. FND, fibromyalgia) who wants to drop in for a shoulder to lean on, an ear to listen or just for tea and biscuits.

Sue hopes to expand the offer of the group, with guest speakers and activities. If you’d like to be involved, drop us an email: community@waldersladehub.org.

The Comic Relief Community Fund (England) provides grants to grassroots organisations to develop their capacity or deliver a project in at least one of Comic Relief’s themes: Children Survive & Thrive; Fighting for Gender Justice; A Safe Place to Be; and Mental Health Matters. Find out more about the fund here.

charity, Community News, Volunteers, walderslade together, walt

WALT’s amazing Christmas

The Net Community Hub

walt thank you

We love our Walties!

2019 has proven to be the most fulfilling Christmas and New Year period at the hub to date.

A quick snapshot of what has been achieved by WALT would show:

  • 2 groups of at least 5 people supported in Christmas shopping.
  • 2 Christmas parties arranged and attended by over 20 people at each venue in Lords Wood and Walderslade.
  • 4 Christmas Day food hampers and gifts were provided to families in desperate need.
  • Toys/Gifts were provided to families for 20 children, whilst others were shared with local churches and preschool groups for children in need, linked to their services.
  • 100 gift bags containing handmade gifts, chocolate oranges and cards were distributed across ME5 to those who are socially isolated and / or are members of WALT.
  • A Christmas Day box filled with clothes for 1 person with very little of their own.
  • On Christmas Day, 6 members were visited, invited to lunch under the share-a-chair initiative or supported to have Christmas Dinner at Pip & Jim’s Church.
  • 20 people – who would otherwise have been alone – enjoyed a Boxing Day brunch here at the hub.

WALT also hosted a Christmas meal for their amazing volunteers and presented gifts to show how much their love and support is appreciated at Christmas, and indeed, throughout the year.

This is all possible thanks to the generosity of everyone who donated food, clothing, their craft skills and so much more.

The Net couldn’t achieve what it does without WALT, and we’re delighted that we are able to support them in their endeavours. This is thanks to the support that we get from funders, who last year included Kent Community Foundation (continuing for another two years), Magic Little Grant, the Kent Messenger, the Co-op and the National Lottery.

Here’s to 2020!