Category: charity

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!

Activities, charity, Community News, Funding, fundraising, kent messenger, Volunteers, walt

An eventful year comes to a close

The Net Community Hub

What a year it’s been for us, here at the Net!

With fundraising events, successful bids and an ever-strengthening partnership with Walderslade Together, we’re looking forward to consolidating our offer to the residents of Walderslade and Lords Wood as we enter 2020.

A huge part of our success is down to our fantastic Walties – the volunteers engaged by Walderslade Together who support so many local people. Whether it’s shopping, taking to hospital appointments or just chatting to them, our volunteers tirelessly give their time and energy to making peoples’ lives better.

To say thank you, we held a special Christmas dinner for them last week.

Our Arts & Crafts Club has been given a boost by volunteer Cat, and the new Brainstormz! support group is run by Sue, a dream to make happen she’s had for a long time.

If you would like to become a volunteer at the hub, and start an activity group or support session for something you’re passionate about, drop into any of our sessions, email Jaye via community@waldersladehub.org, or call us on 01634 319633.

To find out more about the volunteering opportunities with WALT, contact Sharon via volunteer@waltcic.org.uk.

A huge thank you to the Coop, with their community fund netting us the awesome amount of £6,378.94, and to the KM Group for their support as Charity of the Year, for the Medway Messenger this year. And, of course, to the Kent Community Foundation for their ongoing support, which culminated in them awarding us core funding for the next three years.

We’re also indebted to The National Lottery and Magic Little Grants, whose support enables us to do so much more.

Here’s to 2020!

charity, fundraising, kent messenger

The KM Brain and Brawn Triathlon Challenge – DONE!

The Net Community Hub

 

It’s been quite a year, and with the help of the Medway Messenger, we’ve raised over £900, with our manager Jaye taking part in three events, which qualified her for the Brain and Brawn Triathlon Challenge.

Dominic Comins from the KM Charity Team called in to the hub to present Jaye with her certificate and commemorative mug (she does love a free, themed mug).

Jaye says: “It’s been an enormously satisfying year. The support of the KM Media Group and KM Charity Team – in a year in which we were able to raise a lot of money and get lots done – has helped to raise awareness in a way we simply couldn’t have done on our own.

“For me personally, it’s been a wonderful opportunity to raise funds individually by taking part in the Brain and Brawn Challenge.

“Things seem to have really snowballed, with us gaining such valuable support from lots of different quarters.”

KM Charity Team acting general manager Karen Brinkman said: “Many, many congratulations to Jaye on completing our triathlon challenge.

“This is a significant achievement, and she should be proud of what she has accomplished over the year.”

Booking is now open for the KM Charity Team’s 2020 challenge events.

Jaye also recently picked up the 2019 KM Charity Mark on behalf of the hub, at a celebratory event in Ashford.

Jaye KM Forum Charity Mark 2019