Thanet community news: TOFFs, firefighter fundraising, Town Shed sessions, Obelisk demo and more

TOFFs group at the resource centre

Ramsgate Rotary Club

Ramsgate Rotary club raised a record  £4,745 for its charity funds with their Christmas collections, including the  Santa sleigh visiting several parts of the town, as well as static collections at various shops and in the town centre.

The main organiser, Henry Golding said: “ People were very generations with their donations, and it is wonderful we have been able to raise a record amount. I would like to thank all those who took part in any collections and, of course, those who contributed.

The club also, with the help of a number of local schools collected hundreds of toys for distribution through local social services.

Club President, Pat Hersant said: ‘ i am delighted with the result. It means we will have extra funds to make available to charities, including many which are based locally. The support of the schools with such wonderful support was also appreciated.”

Broadstairs Town Shed

The Broadstairs Town Shed is offering classes in how to use tablets and smartphones for older people from February.

Local computer tutor Jackie Raines, will be giving expert advice on topics such as how to get online, emails and surfing the internet to small groups.

We have tablets available to use at the Town Shed or participants can bring their own. The classes will be one hour per week for a 4 week block.

An Age UK publication (Sept. 2014) stated : ‘41% of people aged 65 and over in the UK feel out of touch with the pace of modern life and 12% say they feel cut off from society’.

Funding for this project has been generously given by The Pargiter Trust Fund and Kent Reliance Provident Society Fund administered by Kent Community Foundation.

The Broadstairs Town Shed is a community group for older people to meet, do DIY, carpentry, support community projects and learn computer skills, located in St Peters, Broadstairs.

The Town Shed opened in June 2014, and is a project from Broadstairs Town Team.

Kent Community Foundation helps individuals, families, businesses, trusts and foundations establish and administer their own charitable funds to support the causes that mean the most to them in Kent and Medway.

Since 2001, Kent Community Foundation has distributed over £30 million to local grassroots charities and voluntary organisations where a modest sum of money can make a significant impact. For further information please call Hannah Lawrence, Communications Executive on 01303 815 157 or email [email protected]

Claire Shelton, Town Shed project co-ordinator, said: “We’re really pleased to announce that our programme of computer classes is starting again this February. Jackie is a very experienced tutor specialising in working with older people and we’re really looking forward to welcoming her back to help at the Town Shed.”

Anyone interested in signing up should contact Debbie Meacham, Town Shed administrator, at [email protected] or call 07597 349290 or 01843 867580.

Ramsgate Fire Station

Fire fighters from Ramsgate Fire Station collected £1281.43 for the Fire Fighters Charity on the run up to Christmas.  Crews were in Ramsgate High Street offering fire safety advice on how to keep Safe and Well over Christmas and during the winter months.

If you know someone who would benefit from a Safe and Well visit by Kent Fire and Rescue Service please contact 0800 923 7000 or [email protected]

Kent Anti Racism Network

A call for compassion towards refugees crossing the English Channel has been made by Kent Anti Racism Network (KARN).

“We are entering the coldest mid-winter season now and desperate people are risking everything to exercise their legal right to claim asylum in Britain” a KARN spokesperson said. “Savid Javid and the government are intent on operating their hostile environment policy in the seas and beaches of Kent. We are a group of local residents who want to firmly say ‘refugees are welcome here.’”

The group has called a vigil at 1pm on Sunday, January 6 at the Obelisk by Ramsgate Harbour.

The spokesperson added: “We have called this to show many locals are very concerned for the people on these little boats. We are working with the group Care4Calais and will be collecting donations on Sunday to help keep refugees warm this winter.”

Thanet Over Fifties Forum (TOFFs)

TOFFs are holding an information session and discussion on the subject of living with dementia.

The event on January 24 from 10.30am to 12.30pm will be held at Trinity Resource Centre in St Mary’s Avenue, Margate. The guest speakers will be Admiral Nurse Jade Garlick and  mental health nursing lecturer Niall McLaughlin. There will also be information from East Kent Independent Dementia Support, Carers Support and entertainment from the Seaside Singers.

1 Comment

  1. Those so-called refugees are actually economic migrants who have no right to be trying to enter England. Their corrnect procedure should have been to apply for asylum in the first EU country they reach. Of course, the message is passed around amongst these people about the generous treatment that genuine refugees receive in the UK and this is what attracts so many who have little likelihood of contributing to their new homeland. They thereby deprive genuine UK residents and taxpayers of the help they deserve. They should be stopped and returned whence they came!

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