Pilgrims Hospices
This year, Civica Serve – working in partnership with Thanet District Council- has nominated Pilgrims Hospices as its chosen charity and made a donation of 276 chocolate eggs for staff and patients to help with Easter celebrations.
Simon Ellwood, Civica Income Officer, said: “Pilgrims Hospices are at the heart of the communities that Civica serve; our staff felt strongly about wanting to express their thanks.”
Karen Kenward, Pilgrims Community Fundraising Manager, said: “We were absolutely thrilled to receive the Easter eggs, and really appreciate this generous donation. It’s lovely to know that the staff at Civica Serve are thinking of us at this special time of year. We continue to provide care, and support for patients, their families and friends in east Kent, especially in these challenging times. Thank you all so very much, we will enjoy our eggs with a well-earned cup of tea and wish everyone a restful and happy Easter.”
Each year Pilgrims Hospices give care and comfort to over 2,500 people in east Kent who are coming to terms with an illness that sadly cannot be cured. The charity supports patients to live life as well as possible until the very end, free from pain and distress.
Care is provided from three hospice sites in Thanet, Canterbury and Ashford as well as in patients own homes. To offer these services to patients and their families the charity must raise over £11 million each year with the support of the generous local community.
If you would like to support Pilgrims Hospices or have a fundraising idea, please contact Karen Kenward, Community Fundraising Manager call: 01843 233934.
Thanet Macular Society Support Group
A support group for people affected by sight loss in the Thanet district will hold its next monthly telephone call on Thursday, 22 April at 2pm.
The telephone group, one of more than 400 across the UK, is organised by leading sight loss charity the Macular Society, in partnership with local members and volunteers of the Thanet Macular Society Support Group.
The calls are open to patients with macular disease, a sight loss condition that affects the central vision, and the nation’s biggest cause of blindness.
Families and friends of those affected are also welcome to join, and further calls for the Thanet group will be held at the same time on the fourth Thursday of each month, until face-to-face group meetings can be safely resumed.
The meetings are part of a range of telephone and online support services introduced by the charity after its face-to-face sessions were suspended following the coronavirus outbreak.
Stella Black, Macular Society senior regional manager, said: “Although the pandemic continues to impose necessary social restrictions, people’s health and wellbeing must always come first. However, it’s also absolutely vital that everyone who needs our support continues to receive it. Although our face-to-face services have had to be suspended for the time being, we are still on the end of the phone and would strongly urge anyone to call us if they do need our assistance.
“The telephone groups offer help in understanding macular disease and coming to terms with sight loss; exactly the way that our face-to-face support groups used to do. They also help us to ensure that everyone is kept up to date with all the current news and information. But most importantly, they allow people with macular disease to continue to take part in social activities, helping to reduce feelings of loneliness and isolation during these difficult times.”
The Macular Society funds medical research to beat macular disease, which affects around 1.5 million people in the UK, and many more are at risk. There is still no cure and most types of the disease are not treatable. It can have a devastating effect on people’s lives, leaving them unable to drive, read or see faces. Many people affected describe losing their sight as being similar to bereavement. Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the most common form of macular disease, affecting more than 600,000 people, usually over the age of 50.
If you would like to join the call or for more information about additional support services available locally, please contact Tyler Phillips, peer support coordinator for the Macular Society, on 07920 643 710 or email [email protected]
For information on other services currently available from the Macular Society, please call the charity’s Advice and Information Service on 0300 3030 111 or email [email protected]
Kent Community Foundation
Kent Community Foundation is pleased to have teamed up with Made By Sport to offer sports clubs and organisations in Kent and Medway the opportunity to apply for a grant to support young people as they start to recover from the effects of the latest lockdown
The coronavirus pandemic has had a significant impact on young people across the UK, and thanks to Made By Sport, Community Foundations across the UK will be able to offer sports clubs and organisations access to vital funding from the Clubs in Crisis fund.
Josephine McCartney, Chief Executive, Kent Community Foundation, said: “Kent Community Foundation is delighted to be administering the new Clubs in Crisis fund on behalf of Made By Sport. The fund will open for applications on Monday 12 for unrestricted grants of £2021. We would love to hear from clubs and community organisations using sport to improve young people’s lives through one or more of the following means: developing life skills, building strong communities, improving mental health, developing employability skills or reducing crime and anti-social behaviour.”
Made By Sport is a charity which raises awareness of the power of sport and funding for organisations that use sport to support young people across the UK. The ‘Clubs In Crisis’ fund is part of a wider campaign that believes sport is the best vehicle for creating societal change for young people across a myriad of challenges they face in the modern world.
To find out more visit www.kentcf.org.uk/funding#made-by-sport
Isle of Thanet Photographic Society
A bumper 261 entries were entered into our March competitions. Themes were “Yellow” and “Transport” plus our open fourth quarter PDI. Judges were challenged to critique interesting and creative images from animals to landscapes, trains to waterfalls.
An unusual photo by Andrew Kettle called “Harbour Mandala” (above) was popular with members.
As well as competitions, we organised an audio-visual evening for members to showcase their creative skills and enjoyed a variety of presentations, accompanied by some evocative music; a truly memorable evening.
We were delighted to welcome guest speaker Mick White whose excellent presentation focused on wildlife through the four seasons, with some great technical tips too.
Looking back over the last six months, club Chairman Laura Drury said: “We started this season not knowing what to expect as like everyone else we were in uncharted waters, but remarkably the club has gone from strength to strength in both numbers and quality of work. Members have been inspired and encouraged to experiment by speakers from all over the UK, resulting in some fabulous images. Our special interest nature and analogue groups also help members try new techniques, providing encouragement and technical support.
“What could have been a disastrous year has turned out to be very creative and productive. Having said all that, we are looking forward to meeting in person again on Monday evenings and to hosting our annual exhibition of prints at the York Street Gallery in Ramsgate in June.”
More about our programme and events is on our website at www.isleofthanetphotographicsociety.co.uk or visit us on Facebook.