The Net Community Hub will be CLOSED for the toilet to be refubished between Monday 8th December – Friday 12th December.
With the exception of Hi Kent Mon 8th Dec 10am-11am and Medway Food Bank Thurs 11th Dec 9am-12pm
Access will be via the back door into the office on Teasel Road.
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.
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 🙂
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!).
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 🙂
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.
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.
Deadline for applications: 4th November Interviews: November
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.
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.
Are you brave enough for the latest challenge?
If you are, come along and join our Manager, Jaye, in walking across hot coals for The Net in Buster’s Firewalk, another KM Charity event.
It takes place at the Mercure Great Danes Hotel in Maidstone, on Sunday, September 29 at 7pm, with a briefing at 6pm designed to equip you with the tools for making it through unharmed.
Please note that this is a FUNDRAISING EVENT and adult participants are asked to aim for £100 in sponsorship. Any fundraiser who individually raises over £200 will be entered into a draw to win a luxury spa day for two people, including massage treatments or an afternoon tea. Participants must be 18+. No alcohol allowed!
To book your place – with a £5 discount using code: KMVIP – click here.
If you can’t take part for us yourself, please support Jaye by sponsoring her – click here for the fundraising page. Just so you know – this will be Jaye’s second firewalk this year so it’s definitely going to happen! Thanks for your support 🙂
The KM Charity walk will take place in Maidstone Sunday 23rd June, with the start and conclusion at the beautiful grade 2 listed mansion, Mote House.
The main 10-mile route leads walkers through beautiful Kent countryside, with those wishing to take on a shorter distance opting for a five-mile route.
New for 2019 is a summer scarecrow competition with Kent schools, clubs and charities, who will be able to enter their scarecrow creation and have the chance of winning a prize.
There will be goody bags and medals for walkers on their return, as well as a barbecue.
By teaming up with the KM Charity you can help raise money for us here at the Net Community Hub. Sponsorship raised will be divided so that 70 per cent goes to your charity, The Net Community Hub and 30 per cent will go to our important literacy work with primary school children.
Click on this link for more information and to book. Don’t forget to use Discount Code ‘KMVIP’ – thank you!
Adrenaline seekers are invited to take part in a thrilling abseil challenge in Kent being staged to support us here at the Net Community Hub. This will be the only multi-charity abseil in Kent next year so do not miss out!
The abseil is being organised by the KM Charity Team and will be held on Sunday, March 17th, at Thomas Place in Maidstone.
Simon Dolby from the KM Charity Team urged people to take the challenge to support their local charity (that would be us !) and says: “This is a great opportunity for people to test their sense of adventure while raising money for this excellent cause.”
Specialists will erect two abseil ropes from the roof of the building to the ground, enabling brave participants to abseil down under the watchful instruction of the professionals whilst being cheered on by well-wishers and friends.
Participants should aim to raise a minimum of £75 in sponsorship. 70%t of sponsorship raised goes to The Net and 30% will go to the children’s road safety department at the KM Charity Team.
Click here to book your place. Use Discount Code MAID19 to get £5 off and choose The Net Community Hub on the supported charity box to ensure your support for us, and contact us at community@waldersladehub.org so we can send you a sponsorship form. Thank you!
We received the most fantastic piece of news recently – the Cooperative has chosen us as one of the causes it will support in Medway in 2019!
The Co-op Local Community Fund helps to support local projects that its members care about. Since its launch in 2017, Co-op members have raised £39 million pounds for over 12,000 local causes. We’re delighted that we will now be able to access this funding opportunity, which will help keep our weekly cafe open for local residents to continue to meet their friends.
As a member, every time you shop at the Co-op, 1% of what you spend on Co-op branded products and services helps fund community projects. You can shop at any Co-op Group stores across the UK to raise money for our cause.
Please choose us by signing into your membership account or by calling the membership helpline on 0800 023 4708. We’ll be available for you to select until November 2019. If you don’t yet have a membership card, simply ask for one the next time you’re in your local store, and register to support us.
You can view our profile page here – considering we haven’t told anyone yet, it’s pleasing to see funds are already coming through!
I suspect we’ll be down at the Walderslade store in due course, helping you pack – make sure you come and say hello!
After our successful quiz in April, we’re holding another!
Thursday 6 December from 8-10pm (doors open 7.30pm) £12 per team (4 per team recommended).
We’ll have 5 rounds as before with prizes on offer, and a raffle. Bring your own drinks and nibbles. Hot and soft drinks will be available at usual cost – just 60p per tea or coffee.
Book your team place here.We look forward to seeing you 🙂
With the release recently of the national Loneliness Strategy, we here at The Net Hub are keen to do our bit for the older people in our community and not only make our space available to them, but also make it as comfortable as possible.
We run a number of activities, from Chairobics to Time To Talk, a DIY Arts & Crafts Cafe, and an open cafe every week. We’d love to get the space open even more and to help this, we want the space to be welcoming to all.
Thanks to England’s temperate climate, most people can enjoy the space in relative comfort. However, during particularly cold or hot phases, the old wooden doors and windows can leave it either cold and draughty or humid and sweaty.
We’ve already got £1000 towards replacement costs, but we need another £3000 in order to install new pvc doors and windows with openings that will help to regulate the temperatures. This would also include a new back door, which currently cannot be opened from the outside and makes logistics a little tricky when we have a group meeting in the space.
Any help you can give us would be much appreciated.
Thank you! #fundraising https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/new-doors-and-windows …
The Net Community Hub 