Tag: community

Activities, Community News

Want to Learn How To Make Podcasts?

The Net Community Hub

This is your chance to learn how to produce and launch your own podcasts, as everything you ever wanted to know about podcasts is coming to the Hub across five Wednesday nights.

The sessions start on Wednesday 21st February at 4.30pm to 6.30pm and will run every Wednesday until 13th March, when the final session will finish at 6pm. Cost is £112.50 for the whole course, which can be paid in advance in full, or in 3 x instalments of £30 on the night, with a final payment of £22.50. 

You’re in very safe hands with your tutor, Kieran Poole. He has produced at BBC Radio 2, BBC Radio 5 Live, BBC Radio Kent and Absolute Radio. Kieran has presented an award-winning radio show, a number of podcasts and is a stand-up comedian.

The cost of the five 90 minute sessions £112.50 per person, and you can book and pay in advance, or pay £22.50 on the night. If you’re unable to make any of the sessions, there will be a catch up zoom.

The only equipment required is your own laptop and wired earphones/headphones to each session. To book, email community@walderslade.hub.org.

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/

Community News, walderslade together, walt

It’s beginning to look a lot like normal

The Net Community Hub

I hesitate to say it, because COVID19 cases are still way too high BUT, we are starting to buzz again.

While we’re not advertising the sessions as such, we have got most of our regulars back in two or three times a week now, albeit with a slightly amended social schedule.

Walderslade Together has done an incredible job, keeping members in the loop with both old and new activities, with every session now coming with the in-person or virtual participation options.

Most of our external groups are back, and we hope to welcome the foodbank back in the near future. In lieu of their return, we are continuing with our free brunch on a Thursday morning.

The Coffee and Craft session running on a Friday afternoon may change but we will of course update that as required.

If you have any queries that aren’t answered by our What’s On page, you can reach us or WALT on 01634 319633, or email community@waldersladehub.org.

We look forward to seeing you soon.

Jaye, Ruth and Sharon.

Community News, Resources, Support Services, Volunteers, walderslade together, walt

Our contingency plan for COVID19

The Net Community Hub

keep-calm-2816350_960_720

As you are aware, we are a lifeline for the elderly and isolated residents in Walderslade.

During the current situation, we have to find a balanced way forward, whereby we try and protect our members and volunteers from the virus yet also ensure they’re not abandoned into isolation.

Regretfully, this means that our usual activity sessions will all be suspended as of now. However, we will be opening the hub for a drop in session on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays between 11am-1pm for those who need us. We have hygiene measures in place, with hand wipes available and surfaces cleaned before and after each session, in addition to our normal cleaning routine.

We respectfully ask that anyone who thinks they may have been exposed to the virus NOT to come to the hub but to follow the public health advice of self-isolating at home.

WALT will ensure that the members they are physically unable to bring to the hub as usual are telephoned at least once a week. They are also in the process of setting up online communications between those members, in order for them to still talk to their friends.

Also, due to the idiotic panic buying, we have vulnerable people concerned about grocery supplies. People with physical issues who can’t cook fresh food. People who can’t get out to the shops. So any donations of ready meals that we can distribute would be most welcome – thank you.

We will continue to update here and on social media with regard to our own sessions and those by partners such as Pip’n’Jim’s and Medway Youth Service.

Thank you for your support.

Jaye Nolan, Manager.

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

Funding, Premises

It’s going to be a warmer winter!

The Net Community Hub

IMG_2626

Our new windows and doors are finally complete and been given the thumbs up from our regulars 🙂

It seems like forever since we first decided to replace our old windows and wooden doors, which made the hub too warm in the summer and too cold in the winter, but thanks to a combination of funding from The National Lottery (our previous award), Medway Rotary Club, The KM Group and the Co-op Community Fund,  the installation has been carried out – and it all looks fab!

With huge thanks also to Clarke’s Glazers of Gillingham, whose service was excellent.

There are still more improvements to be made but we’re very proud of our progress in the past two years to make the hub as welcoming as possible.

With core funding secured for three years, thanks to the Kent Community Foundation, we’re looking forward to expanding our services and activities, so if you’ve any ideas of what you’d like the hub to offer, please do get in touch on 01634 319633 or email community@waldersladehub.org.

We also have evening and weekends (and some daytime slots) available for hire at very reasonable rates – £7 per hour for community groups and charitable organisations, or £10 p/h for individuals and businesses. More information on hiring the space can be found here.

Before, during and after …

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Activities, fundraising

The KM Charity – Buster’s Firewalk!

The Net Community Hub

KM FireWalk

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 🙂

Activities, Funding, fundraising

Magic Moments! We’ve been awarded £500 from Magic Little Grants.

The Net Community Hub

MLG logo 2

In partnership with Postcode Community Trust, Magic Little Grant from Localgiving has awarded us £500 to support our Monday afternoon Chairobics activity, securing it for a further year.

The session has gone from strength to strength since we instigated it two years ago, with over 25 people taking part regularly. It runs from 1.30-2.30pm on a Monday afternoon, although many participants stay after our coffee morning, or arrive early to have a chat and a cuppa. And often, there’s more chat afterwards! It’s hitting all the right notes with regard to gentle physical exercise for those less mobile, and offering a chance for people to meet and make friends. Drop by anytime!

The Postcode Community Trust is a grant-giving charity funded entirely by players of People’s Postcode Lottery. Localgiving is the UK’s leading membership and support network for local charities and community groups.

For information on how you can apply, visit the following links:

www.localgiving.org/magic-little-grants/
www.postcodecommunitytrust.org.uk
www.localgiving.org/

Find out how to play the People’s Postcode Lottery, and support even more charities by clicking here: www.postcodelottery.co.uk

MLG Logos

As part of this grant, we’ve been provided with an annual Localgiving membership. This will enable us to benefit from a range of online fundraising services and campaigns. We’re able to receive donations through Localgiving via this page:

www.localgiving.org/the-net-community-hub

fundraising

KM Maidstone Summer Abseil 2019

The Net Community Hub

Event dates: Sunday 30th June 2019 and Saturday 5th October.

KM Abseil
The Summer abseil challenge being staged by the KM Charity Team will be held at Thomas Place, Maidstone, which boasts a 100ft drop to challenge participants to the limit.

You need to be 14+ to participate. Maximum weight limit is 16st.

The event was postponed due to adverse weather conditions previously, but Abseilers are invited to try again – The Net is registered with the KM Charity Team and we’d be very grateful if you select us to receive your fundraising monies.

To book, simply select the time you wish to take part and select us from the drop down box.

Click on the time-slot that you wish to abseil and the page will display the number of spaces available within this slot.

https://www.kmcharityteam.co.uk/challenge/abseil/

PAYING BY CREDIT CARD: The booking system requires purchasers to use their own name, own credit card and address linked to the credit card (usually home address). This is to ensure you have permission to use the credit card.

BOOKING FOR SOMEONE ELSE: If you are making the booking but not actually taking part, this page must still use your personal details in the fields below (including YOUR NAME and address) or the credit card purchase will not go through. Once you have booked they will send you an email to ask the the details of the participants – and you can then provide them with the names and contact details of participants at that point.

Thanks so much for your support.