QEQM Hospital League of Friends
After a lengthy pause because of the pandemic, we are delighted to have reintroduced our trolley service that goes around the hospital selling cold drinks, snacks & confectionery. It runs on Monday, Tuesday & Wednesday mornings and we visit as many wards & areas as we can.
Pictured are some of our lovely folk who are operating the service. As with our Tea Bar & Shop they are all volunteers and all the proceeds will be used to fund items to benefit patients, staff & visitors.
We would love to extend the service to cover Thursday & Friday mornings as well but need more volunteers to enable us to do so. So, if you would be willing to give up a few hours of your time each week please leave a message with your contact details on our 24-hour answerphone (01843-234507) or email us at [email protected]
Our Annual General Meeting will be held on 8th June at 6pm in the Lecture Theatre of the Queens Centre for Clinical Studies, located in the Spencer Wing of the Hospital. The meeting will also be available to attend online. All Members and Friends welcome.
If you would like to join in, please telephone (01843) 234507 and leave a message on our answerphone or email us at [email protected] and we will be in touch with the details.
Margate Civic Society 2023 Town Pride Awards
The results of this year’s Town Pride Awards were announced at the meeting of the Margate Civic Society at Holy Trinity Margate Hall on Thursday (May 18).
A total of seven sites were nominated, as having enhanced the built environment, two of which were deferred from last year, as they had yet to be completed. The calibre of nominations received indicates a growing awareness amongst the Society’s members of the major contribution that both renovation of often run-down properties and the erection of well-designed new properties, make to the overall attractiveness of our town.
We are delighted to reveal that this year’s Town Pride Plaque and Framed Certificate has been awarded to:
- Thanet Press, 1 Union Crescent and 1 & 2 Cecil Street, Margate (in recognition of an outstanding, sympathetic and eye-catching restoration project, making a major contribution to the regeneration of Margate)
Recipients of Town Pride ‘Highly Commended’ Framed Certificates are:
- Olimpia Bakery, 67 High Street, Margate (in recognition of making a major contribution to the regeneration of Margate High Street)
- 85 Dane Road, Margate (in recognition of innovative design, making a major contribution to the regeneration of our area)
- 50 Hawley Square, Margate (in recognition of innovative, sensitive and eye-catching design, making a major contribution to the regeneration of Margate)
- 28 Ethelbert Crescent, Cliftonville (in recognition of innovative, sensitive and eye-catching design, making a major contribution to the regeneration of our area)
- Fort Road Hotel, 18 Fort Road, Margate (in recognition of innovative and sensitive design, making a major contribution to the regeneration of Margate seafront)
The results of the 40th Town Pride Awards were announced and presented by the Society’s Chair, Pamela Pople.
Pamela who organised the event, said: “I should like to thank everyone who has been involved, contributing to making this this year’s event such a special occasion. This year is the first time we have held our Town Pride Awards’ event at our new venue and the ideal opportunity to celebrate the positive impact that projects have made in the local area, rather than reflecting on the negative.
“Croft Cast Signs were again commissioned to create the bespoke durable blue plaque depicting the Margate Clock Tower, which has become a symbol of our Society. I am delighted once again that we received nominations of such a high calibre, resulting in one Town Pride winner this year and 5 ‘Highly Commended’, each of which was diverse, reflecting the exceptional high standard of new projects that have been undertaken in the areas of Margate and Cliftonville, which will contribute greatly to raising ethos and a sense of pride in our community.”
For further information, please contact the Society’s Chair, Pamela Pople (Mobile: 07903 126 530) or see our website www.margatecivicsociety.org.uk.
Thanet Schools Young Artists Festival 2023
The 14th annual Thanet Schools Young Artists Festival, organised by Margate Rotary Club, will be displayed from May 29-June 4.
Some 750 paintings from 39 Thanet schools, colleges and from individuals aged 4-18 will be on show at The Margate School (former Woolworths) each day from 10am to 5pm.
A prizegiving will be held on June 3 at noon.
Mahjong club
Similar to the Western card game of rummy, mahjong is a game of skill and strategy. The game is played with a set of 144 tiles based on Chinese characters and symbols.
We are looking to set up a Mahjong club in Birchington where players of all standards including beginners would be welcome. Currently we are playing on Monday mornings from 10 to 12am.
If you are interested please email me for further details: [email protected]
St Augustine’s Week
Kent Community Foundation
On 20 June, experienced grant-makers Kent Community Foundation, who have distributed almost £60 million to good causes across the county, will be offering advice and information about funding.
The session at Margate Caves Community Education Trust is free to attend and designed to support charitable organisations and community groups who need financial support.
The Kent Community Foundation team will be joined at the event by guest speakers Kerry Donati, Project Manager, Funding for All and Sue Tucker, Operations and Development Manager, Stronger Kent Communities. Funding for All provides free, expert fundraising advice to small charities, voluntary organisations, community groups and social enterprises and Stronger Kent Communities helps community groups charities and social enterprises by providing the resources they need to build organisations and run them effectively.
Natalie Smith, Director of Grants and Impact, Kent Community Foundation said, “Attendees at our Margate funding morning can expect to gain an overview of the range of funding options that are available for valuable and impactful work. There will be the opportunity to use the free event to network, share best practices and make valuable contacts with other groups and organisations. We are also thrilled that joining us are speakers from Funding for All and Stronger Kent Communities.”
The event is being held between 9:45am – 2pm on 20 June at the Margate Caves Community Education Trust, Northdown Road, Margate. Places arelimited and booking is essential. To secure a place for your organisation at the clinic and to request a 1-1 with a Kent Community Foundation Funding Manager please email [email protected]
To contact Kent Community Foundation about funding for charities and community groups call 01303 814500, email [email protected] or visit www.kentcf.org.uk/funding
South Thanet Conservative Association
At the AGM of South Thanet Conservative Association held at Stonelees Golf Centre, Andrew Chard was elected as Chairman with Charlie Lees as deputy chairman political and Jeremy Scarlett as deputy chairman, membership and finance. They will be joined by Avril Towning as secretary and Peter Miles on the management team.
The meeting was later addressed by Craig Mackinlay, MP for South Thanet, who encouraged all members to work together to keep South Thanet ‘blue’ at the general election, expected next year, following possible boundary changes to be considered by Parliament in July.
Breast Cancer Now
A new review of figures by charity Breast Cancer Now has revealed that the annual number of people being diagnosed with breast cancer in Kent has increased by 25% in the last decade.
According to annual incidence figures, 1400 people were diagnosed with breast cancer in Kent in 2010. By 2019, that number had jumped to 1750.
This May, leading research and support charity Breast Cancer Now, is calling on local people passionate about making a difference to sign up as a Community Fundraising Volunteer to help secure the long-term funds necessary to make ground-breaking research happen.
Kerry Banks from Deal, has been volunteering for Breast Cancer Now for 17 years and wants to encourage others to join her in raising vital funds for Breast Cancer Now’s world-class research and life-changing support. Kerry also received a Queens Honour in 2020 for Services to Breast Cancer.
Kerry said: “I became a Community Fundraising Volunteer for Breast Cancer Now after our friend Julie Mortimer sadly passed away from Breast Cancer and I wanted to create a legacy for her whilst making a difference in other people’s lives who are affected by Breast Cancer plus be a part of changing the lives in the future for generations to come.
“I have organised many events over the years including my annual Crocus Walk which was my first event back in 2006, quizzes, a glitter ball plus trekked all over the world fundraising and raising awareness of Breast Cancer. I have also attended parliament, given talks and represented the charity on many occasions.
“It’s amazing to know the money I raise is helping people affected by breast cancer, and that through my volunteering I’m contributing to the next breast cancer breakthrough.
“Becoming a Community Fundraising Volunteer means being part of something important through planning and organising fundraising events – while having fun and making new friends too. For anyone looking to make a difference in their community, I would highly recommend it.”
Breast Cancer Now volunteers have been responsible for some of Kent’s most well-established fundraising events, including the annual Crocus Walk organised by Kerry and The Clifftop Challenge, organised by volunteer Chantele Rashbrook.
Volunteers also organise community quiz nights, black tie balls, sponsored runs and walks, as well as a variety of other events.
Thanks to their efforts, Breast Cancer Now is currently funding just over £24 million worth of ground-breaking research projects in the UK.
The charity supports over 290 of the world’s brightest minds in breast cancer research. Over 230 of these researchers are directly funded by Breast Cancer Now, which means they pay their salaries (in full or in part) and for many, they also provide their laboratory equipment and facilities.
Register your interest to become a Community Fundraising Volunteer at breastcancernow.org/fundraising-volunteer