Tag: community

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 …

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

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.

Activities, fundraising

The KM Charity Walk

The Net Community Hub

KM Charity Walk

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!

Activities, walt

Brunch and a bit more …

The Net Community Hub

IMG_2313

The Net and WALT are delighted to brighten up our Wednesday daytimes, introducing ‘Brunch and a bit more’!

As stated, there’ll be nibbles by way of a bacon roll, or perhaps waffles – something tasty each week, washed down with a cuppa. And all for a paltry £2!

That’s the brunch part anyway. The bit more will include a singalong (like today’s inaugural brunch), arts & crafts,  special visitors – it’s very much lead by the attendees, who’ve already begun making a list of what they’d enjoy.

So why not head down our way on Wednesdays between 10am-2pm? We look forward to seeing you.

60226104_398057627591105_3395942615592468480_n

Activities

Enjoying an Easter Lunch

The Net Community Hub

IMG_2270

We undertook a special one off for our community during the Easter holidays, when we invited everyone along for an Easter lunch.

With twenty three of us getting together for a chat over a buffet and lots of tea, a fun  afternoon was had, with clamours of “more, more”. It will happen, so watch this space.

IMG_2268

Materials were made available for Easter bonnets, with our overall winner being Joan.

IMG_2269

fundraising

Success for the Hub at the KM Big Quiz

The Net Community Hub

KMQuizJN

Ok, slightly misleading headline there, as we basically sucked at the quiz itself, coming 22nd and 26th out of 27 teams!

But as a result of the Walderslade Wizards and Walderslade Whizkids taking part (and it’s the taking part that’s important, right?) the KM Group has donated a whopping £750 to The Net – more than a month’s income!

This is a fantastic amount for us. We operate on such a tiny budget that this money will make a huge difference in helping us continue to serve our community.

Overall, the evening itself raised £6,000 for Kent charities and the KM Charity Team’s literacy and road-safety and walk-to-school initiatives. Read all about the evening here. 

Next up in the schedule of KM Charity events is the Abseil on March 17th. You can find out more about it here, where there’s a link to sign up if you’d like to represent us. Don’t forget the discount code!

If you’d like a less scary way of raising money for us, please visit our donate page for ideas on how to do this – Co-op membership, Give As You Live or simply donate a cash amount – as little as a fiver will buy the refreshments for our weekly open cafe.

Thank you!

Volunteers, walt

The Net and WALT volunteer Jean Judge nominated for a Pride in Medway Award

The Net Community Hub

Jean Pride in Medway

It’s that time of the year again, when the people who make Medway better are recognised with nominations in the Pride in Medway awards.

We’re delighted that one of The Net and WALT’s joint volunteers, Jean Judge, has been recognised in the Volunteer of the Year category following her nomination by WALT.

An invaluable resource, Jean – seen above with many of the members – helps with shopping, home visits, taking people to medical appointments and social events, as well as bringing them to the hub to meet friends for a natter over a cuppa.

Jean says: “I feel extremely proud to get this recognition and I thoroughly enjoy doing what I do – it keeps me out of mischeif! I’m happy I can make a contribution to helping people stay socially active and not be left sitting indoors alone”.

WALT’s volunteer co-ordinator, Sharon O’Flynn, says: “Jean was our second ever volunteer and has been with us for two and a half years – now our longest serving. We love her to bits. She’s reliable and friendly and nothing is ever too much trouble. Nominating her for an award was a no-brainer, she absolutely deserves it.”

The awards are now in their 17th year and is made up of eight categories: Charity Fundraiser; Community Service; Good Carer; Green Champion; Health and Hospital; Young Heroes, Sports Coach of the Year and Volunteer of the Year.

Judges including Medway Council, Medway Messenger, Uniper, mhs Homes and Mid Kent College will meet to decide the winners, with the results due in the next couple of months.

Activities

Christmas and New Year Openings at the Hub

The Net Community Hub

Merry Xmas!

We are open on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve (24th and 31st respectively) however, activities will be a little bit different.

Monday 24th December: Free Open Cafe 10am-12noon

Tuesday 25th December: Closed

Wednesday 26th December: WALT’s Boxing Day Buffet 10am-2pm

Thursday 27th December: Free Open Cafe 10am-1pm

Friday 28th/ Saturday 29th/ Sunday 30th: Closed

Monday 31st December: Free Open Cafe 10am-12noon

Tuesday 1st January: Free Open Cafe 10am-2pm

Wednesday 2nd January: Free Open Cafe 10am-2pm

Thursday 3rd January: Pip’n’Jim’s Free Open Cafe and Foodbank as usual.