St Ethelbert’s Catholic Primary School and Nursery
St Ethelbert’s Year 4 pupil Evie is donating her beautiful long hair to the Little Princess Trust. The youngster had more than 50 cms of hair cut off for the charity because she wants to give it to a princess in need.
The Little Princess Trust provides free real hair wigs to children and young people, up to 24 years, who have lost their own hair through cancer treatment or other conditions. The Trust relies solely on the efforts of enthusiastic community fundraisers. They receive no formal funding. Evie is also hoping to raise £550 for this amazing cause through her JustGiving page.
Headteacher Mr Marshall and all the staff and children at St Ethelbert’s are very proud of Evie, raising money and awareness for the Little Princess Trust and demonstrating one of our school values, ‘Thoughtfulness’.
Well done Evie and Thank You. Your new haircut looks amazing.
Details of how to donate can be found at: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/neena-griffin?
Union Church Margate
Christmas is a time of joy and celebration of Christ’s birth but for many of us it is a time when we remember love ones who are no longer with us.
We at Union Church Margate (by Morrisons) would like to invite anyone who would like to hang a STAR of remembrance on our Christmas tree during our service on the 5th December, or any service in December services start at 1030am, simply write a message on the back of a star and bring it with you or use one of our stars during the service we will give thanks for their lives. EVERYONE IS INVITED
Broadstairs College
A College department has raised more than £500 in support of a former student diagnosed with cancer.
Broadstairs College’s Hair and Beauty team held a raffle on Thursday, November 18, to raise funds for a GoFundMe set up in aid of Tasmin Gooding.
The 23-year-old has Stage 4 breast cancer, which was found to have spread to her spine in June of this year.
Lecturer Donna Colyer noticed that she was a former student of hers and the team quickly got to work organising the raffle, which came to have ten fantastic prizes thanks to student and staff donations.
The top prize was afternoon tea for two at the four-star Yarrow Hotel, which is run by the EKC Group which also manages the College, while second prize was a large hamper of chocolate alongside beauty and bath products.
Hair and Beauty also offered up the third prize – a full pamper day conducted by the students.
The total raised was £550, with some donating money to the cause without purchasing raffle tickets.
Michelle Whittle, Industry Liaison Officer for the Hair and Beauty department, said: “Everyone was really generous and supportive in our effort to let Tasmin know that we care.
“We originally only aimed to raise £100, so to have raised so much is truly incredible! A huge thank you to all of the supporters, including those from other departments, who made this possible. We’re really excited to be donating such a large amount for our inspirational former student Tasmin.”
Click here for Tasmin’s GoFundMe page.
Click here to learn more about studying Hair and Beauty at Broadstairs College.
Lights for Kent air ambulance
A Christmas light switch-on in a Ramsgate street will be raising money for Kent air ambulance this year.
The property in Nethercourt Farm Road will be lit up from December 1 and donations can be made up until Christmas Eve in the black letterbox on the front gate.
Pilgrims Hospices
This year, local charity Pilgrims Hospices sees the return of the Trees of Love remembrance events at their three hospices and at alternative venues across east Kent. The largest festive remembrance to take place in east Kent has been running for over 20 years, and raised over £970,000 for the charity to date.
Ellie Cane, who is part of the team behind Trees of Love, said: “We are so amazed at the amount our local community has raised by taking part in Trees of Love for all these years, and this year we’re really hoping that with their help we can reach £1 million. This would be such an incredible achievement, and I would like to take this chance to say a huge thank you in advance to all those who will be joining us for the remembrance this December.”
The remembrance will begin with the release of a filmed service on the Pilgrims Hospices YouTube Channel and website, on Saturday 4 December at 12pm. This replaces the usual live service performed at the three hospices in Ashford, Canterbury and Thanet. Guests are then invited to drop in to the hospices between 4pm and 6pm to find their dedicated dove, whilst enjoying carol singing and warm mince pies.
“On behalf of everyone at Pilgrims, I would like to encourage anyone who has lost someone to join with us to remember by dedicating a beautiful dove in memory of their loved ones. To take part contact our Supporter Relations team, and we will send a dove out to you to decorate with your personal message. We will place your beautiful dove on the Trees at your chosen site, to remain illuminated throughout the festive season.”
Pilgrims Hospices’ Trees of Love remembrances will be held in the gardens of each Hospice at Ashford, Canterbury and Thanet on Saturday 4 December, between 4pm and 6pm. They also host alternative services at other venues in Barham, Charing, Cheriton, Dover and New Romney. If you would like to take part to join with others to remember your loved ones and mark this special occasion, or for more information, contact Pilgrims’ Supporter Relations on 01227 782062 or email [email protected].
Broadstairs Dickens Fellowship
The Dickens Declaimers, the dramatic reading group from the Broadstairs Branch of the Dickens Fellowship, will be performing “A Christmas Carol” live at three venues in Thanet.
On Saturday 11th December at 3pm at Townleys (Albion House, Ramsgate); on Sunday 12th December at 3pm at The Pavilion; and on Wednesday 15th December at 4pm at The Charles Dickens. Performances are FREE to attend with a collection in aid of the NSPCC. Last year with the restraints of Covid the group performed Dickens’ famous Christmas story on You Tube raising over £1400 for the charity. This year we hope to encourage the good people of Thanet to support these live performances, proving quite clearly that there are no Scrooges in East Kent!
Margate Civic Society
Thank you to those who supported our November meeting with an amazing talk by Melanie Gibson Barton on ‘The Life and Times of Edith Cavell.’ We were also delighted to finally present a Highly Commended 2020 Town Pride Certificate to Uwe Derksen, Director of The Margate School, 31-36 High Street, Margate
(In recognition of an innovative project, making a major creative contribution to the local community and the regeneration of Margate High Street)
For details of our next meeting please see below:-
CHRISTMAS SOIREE
Date: Thursday, 2 December
Venue/Time: Holy Trinity Church Hall, St Mary’s Avenue. Cliftonville, Margate – 1945 hrs (to be seated by 1935 hrs)
Details: Christmas Soiree: with Poetry, Quiz, Music, Refreshments, Carol Singing, Festive Hamper Fundraising Raffle (£5.00 per ticket – all profits to go to Margate Civic Society) and our Christmas Raffle (tickets: £1.00 per strip or 6 strips for £5.00). Both draws will take place at the end of the evening.
Please note, after our quiz, there will be one complimentary drink served per person: choice of a glass of red or white wine/juice/cup of tea or coffee with a mince pie and snacks. Additional drinks will be on sale throughout the evening for those who wish to indulge further!Price: Paid up Members: No charge Guests: £6.50 nominal fee (to include refreshments)
We hope that you will be able to join us for this early Christmas celebration, compensating for the disappointment of last year. Festive dress optional!
If you are interested in joining Margate Civic Society, or wish to find out more, please see our website www.margatecivicsociety.org.uk for further details.
SONIK
Kent health campaigners held a protest against the increasing privatisation of the NHS in Broadstairs on Monday.
Over 50 people gathered outside the office of South Thanet MP Craig Mackinlay and called on him to oppose the Health and Care Bill currently being debated in parliament .
Called by Save Our NHS In Kent (SONIK) the event coincided with a major event being held in London in which celebrities including and health workers came together outside parliament to demand that MPs oppose the bill, which campaigners fear will be disastrous for the NHS.
A spokesperson for SONIK said: “There is widespread agreement among health campaigners that if this bill is passed it will result in more privatisation and more cuts in the NHS. It will be a disaster for our health service.”
Celebrities including Stephen Fry, Jo Brand, and Michael Rosen are supporting the campaign.
The SONIK spokesperson said: “This Bill is only the latest stage in the long-term push by both Tory and Labour governments to make the NHS open to increasing privatisation. We and health campaigners across the country are not prepared to accept this and we are going to fight and fight again to stop it happening.”
East Kent Hospitals
Do you play in a band or sing with a choir?
We’re looking for local musical groups who would be willing to donate up to an hour of their time during December to help spread a little festive cheer to our patients and staff.
Our harmonious helpers would sing or play seasonal favourites in garden or courtyard areas around our hospitals, or outside the main entrances.
Performances would take place at the Kent and Canterbury Hospital, William Harvey Hospital in Ashford and Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother Hospital in Margate.
Dee Neligan, senior charity officer of East Kent Hospitals Charity, which is co-ordinating festive treats for staff, said: “We want to make this Christmas extra special for our fantastic teams who have worked so hard over the past year.
“Music can really lift people and it would be fantastic if some of our wonderful local bands or choirs could donate some time to play for us.”
If you’re interested, please send an email with details of your band or choir, and some days and times you would be available, to [email protected] – if you have video showcasing your talents, please include that too!
For more information on other ways to support hospital staff and patients over the festive season, visit https://www.ekhcharity.org.uk/get-involved/donate/festive-giving/
Westgate and Garlinge Action Group
Westgate and Garlinge Action Group Against Housing Development Committee’s Xmas Craft Fayre and Market is on Sunday 12th December, from 10am till 4pm at Westgate Community Centre, Lymington Road, Westgate on sea CT8 8ES.
With Special Guests Appearing from 12pm till 2pm.
Live Music from 12pm
Raffle
Refreshments on sale
Cakes kindly being donated from Bethany’s Sandwich Bar and Cafe.
Beautifully handmade crafts and perfect gift ideas for Xmas.
Mecca Bingo Thanet
Following last year’s success, Mecca Bingo Thanet is launching its second unique Everyone Deserves a Christmas appeal to help individuals and families in need this Christmas.
Mecca’s renowned UK-wide Christmas appeal involves all 71 clubs across the country and aims to provide hampers to those most in need, allowing them to go through the Christmas season more comfortably. Last year, the original bingo brand partnered with 52 charities to raise an incredible total of £185,000 in cash and hamper donations, providing 3,800 hampers across the UK.
This Christmas, Mecca is upping its efforts and going above and beyond, especially in a year which has shown food poverty to be an ever-increasing issue. A new goal was set, with the aim of providing 4,000 hampers across the UK, each valued at £50 – a total amount of £200,000. Mecca Bingo Thanet is getting involved again this year and is raising money for Age UK, one of the charities at the heart of its community. This is a local charity working in the community to support older people, their families and carers. It provides services and companionship to all people over 50 years of age, with the mission to improve later life for everyone in the Thanet Area.
Once again, Mecca is calling on its loyal customers as well as local residents and businesses for their heart-warming support and donations. The local community can help both in club and online by dedicating time, donating goods such as non perishable food and drink or unopened toiletries or by donating money. All donations will allow the creation of Christmas hampers, which will be distributed by the local charity to those most in need.
Finally, Mecca will be hosting special Christmas Charity games, with all profits being donated to the Everyone Deserves a Christmas appeal. Charity bingo games will be hosted in all Mecca venues on 27th November, with a linked game sponsored by the Bingo Association and a prize fund of £2000.
Justin Newin, General Manager at Mecca Thanet, said: “We’re thrilled to be bringing back Mecca’s Everyone Deserves a Christmas appeal for a second year and to be helping those who need it the most within our community. Christmas should be magical and we are determined to make it as special as can be for as many as possible. We just couldn’t do this without the incredible support of our customers and local supporters – we know this year that people will exceed all expectations with their generosity.”
To donate to Mecca Thanet’s chosen charity, please visit the JustGiving page: https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/EveryoneDeservesAChristmas2021.