2433 (Thanet) Squadron
Five cadets from 2433 (Thanet) Squadron have completed a blue road marching badge, however 4 of them cadets continued at the weekend to do the Bronze badge. Road marching is when they march over long distances.
Starting off from 2374 (Ditton) Squadron, on the Saturday, 74 cadets from around Kent, marched 25km and then went back on the Sunday they did 21 km. Cpl Harry Keefe, Cdt Henry Hatcher, Cdt Aaron Baldwin and Cdt Sonny Johnson who said ‘he enjoyed the singing and meeting new cadets from Kent Wing’, were awarded their bronze road marching badges.
Cdt Jasmine Burton completed the blue.
If you are interested in joining Royal Air Force Air Cadets go to our website www.raf.mod.uk/aircadets
East Kent Mind
East Kent Mind has received a wonderful donation from local business leader Amanda Holges, founder of Kent Business Mastermind, following a recent fundraising initiative.
Amanda raised money during her Mastermind & Networking event in January, donating a percentage of ticket sales to support East Kent Mind’s vital work in the local community.
Speaking about the donation, Amanda said: “Though a small amount, it shows that every penny is important to the amazing support East Kent Mind gives to the local area. Our mental wellness is key not only to our businesses but to our lives. East Kent Mind provides an array of local and online workshops with support that is accessible to everyone.”
East Kent Mind extends its heartfelt thanks to Amanda and everyone who contributes to fundraising efforts. No matter the amount, every donation helps provide essential mental health support across the region.
If you or your business are interested in raising funds for East Kent Mind, please visit eastkentmind.org.uk to find out more.
Copperfield Court and St. George’s Primary School
Copperfield Court, part of Oyster Care Homes, partnered with St. George’s Primary School to share the joy of reading across generations for World Book Day.
Resident Rosey, accompanied by Care Manager Jade and Healthcare Assistant Rosie, visited St. George’s Primary School. The visit provided an opportunity for storytelling, conversation, and a shared love of literature.
While at the school, Rosey explored the library, which opened in October 2024 and has been lovingly curated by student librarians from Years 3 to 6. She shared fond memories of her favourite childhood book, “Wind in the Willows”, reflecting on the role reading has played in her life. In return, the children eagerly discussed their own literary favourites, including “Harry Potter” and “Diary of a Wimpy Kid”, and spoke about their World Book Day traditions, such as dressing up as beloved book characters and taking part in Readathons, encouraging friendly reading competitions.
The children gifted Rosey a copy of “Dumpus Jumpus Dinosaur.”
Jade, Care Manager at Copperfield Court, said: “It was the happiest I have seen Rosey – she absolutely loved it and couldn’t thank everyone enough. Seeing her light up as she engaged with the children was truly special.“
The visit was supported by Year 5 teacher and Creative Director, Analise Gray, and Year 4 teacher and KS2 English Director, Freya Bullard.
Eve Balcombe, General Manager at Copperfield Court, said: “This visit was a beautiful example of how literature connects people, no matter their age. Seeing our residents engaging with young students, sharing memories, and exchanging their love of books was incredibly moving. We are so grateful to St. George’s Primary School for welcoming us and look forward to continuing this wonderful partnership in the future.”
Sarah Thorne Theatre
The Sarah Thorne Theatre is delighted to announce that the fund raising concert “Love, Life and Laughter” on the 28th January raised £2000, to be split between Macmillan Cancer Support and Pilgrims Hospice. The total raised included the Box Office surplus, a donation from the former Ramsgate Operatic Society, raffles and personal donations.
The show was devised and staged by Steven Todd and Jon Carr in memory of Sam Grant, a valued friend of Sarah Thorne and who will be missed greatly by her many friends in the local arts scene.
We thank all those local artists who took part in this sold out charity show.
Town Mayor cheque to Save our Youth Centre campaign
Broadstairs and St Peter’s Town Mayor, Cllr Mike Garner met Zoë Carassik, CEO at Pie Factory Music to present her with half of the proceeds from his recent charity gig.
Pie Factory is a creative youth charity based in St Lawrence but welcoming young people from all across Thanet. The organisation offers a safe space for young people in Thanet to learn skills, build confidence, be themselves and connect with others.
This is done through youth work, music and creative arts projects, pastoral care and counselling. Innovative free programmes, activities and events support, encourage and empower young people to influence their own lives positively.
Kent County Council recently announced plans to sell the Ramsgate Youth Centre where the charity is based.
Cllr Garner said: “I was delighted to be able to raise £550 for the Pie Factory at the recent Mayor’s Charity Gig at the Sarah Thorne Theatre in Broadstairs. Performers at the gig, Connor Beerling, Harmony Bo and Charlie Don’t Surf, put on a great show which, as well as raising money for Pie Factory and 21 Together, bought the community together to have a great night out.
“Both the Pie Factory’s building and the Sarah Thorne Theatre are under threat of being sold off by KCC and by holding this event at the theatre demonstrated my and the Town Council’s commitment to doing all we can to stop this from happening.”
Zoë said: “The Pie Factory Music team are so grateful to the Mayor and the Broadstairs & St Peter’s Town Council for their donation towards our Save Our Youth Centre campaign. We’re doing all we can to safeguard our building for future generations of young people to come, and it’s incredibly heartwarming to know that our communities stand with us.”
Broadstairs & St Peter’s Dementia Friendly Town Project
Broadstairs & St Peter’s Town Council and the Broadstairs Town Team have been working in conjunction with businesses and organisations to make Broadstairs & St Peter’s more accessible to those living with dementia.
On Wednesday 19th March, between 10am and noon, at Pierremont Hall, Broadstairs, colleagues from Dementia & Me, Holy Trinity Dementia Café, Caremark and the Town Council will be hosting a drop-in session for those who are living with dementia and those who care for someone living with dementia to tell us what would make Broadstairs and St Peter’s more friendly and accessible.
People affected by dementia are at the heart of every dementia friendly community. Businesses and organisations of all kinds can help to support their community to become dementia friendly.
By 2025, it is estimated that there will be over 1 million people living with dementia in the UK.
Our aim is to make Broadstairs and St Peter’s safe and welcoming places for those with dementia to visit and feel part of our community.
In the forthcoming months, the Town Council will officially launch the Broadstairs & St Peter’s Dementia Friendly Scheme, for businesses and organisations to sign up to. Businesses will be asked to sign up to 4 standards to become a Dementia Friendly Scheme Member. Please see the Town Council’s Website for more details
We look forward to seeing you on the 19th March to receive your thoughts and experiences.
Homemade Market
The Homemade Market launched on February 9 and due to its success will be holding another event on March 16 with more stalls and the TAG pet rescue team.
It will be held at The High Street Ramsgate (the old Townley building) between 10:30am-3:30pm.
Chartwell House
Boutique Care Homes is proud to announce that Chartwell House in Broadstairs has been recognised as one of carehome.co.uk’s Top 20 Care Homes in South East England 2025, placing the home in the top 1% of care homes across the region.
With more than 2,500 care homes in the South East, this achievement reflects the outstanding care, personalised support, and strong sense of community that residents and their families experience at Chartwell House every day.
This award is based entirely on independent reviews from residents, their loved ones, and care professionals — making it a true reflection of the experiences of those who know the home best. It highlights not only the quality of care, but also the warm, welcoming environment that makes Chartwell House such a special place to call home.
This success comes alongside Boutique Care Homes being named one of carehome.co.uk’s Top 20 Small Care Home Groups 2025, marking the second consecutive year the group has received this prestigious accolade.
Diane Collins, Home Manager at Chartwell House, said; “Being named one of the Top 20 Care Homes in the South East and placing in the top 1% of homes across the region is an incredible honour. It’s a true testament to the passion, dedication and compassion of our whole team. I also want to thank our residents and families for their trust and for sharing their experiences — their kind words mean the world to us.”
Ameet Kotecha, Founder and Managing Director of Boutique Care Homes, added; “This award is a reflection of the genuine care, warmth, and professionalism that the Chartwell House team brings to every interaction. Our vision has always been to create homes that feel like family, where residents feel valued, and where exceptional care is simply part of everyday life. I’m incredibly proud of Diane and the whole team for this well-deserved recognition, and I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to the residents and families who took the time to share their experiences.”
RNLI
Face-to-face fundraisers help the RNLI reach thousands of people every year, sharing important water safety messages with beachgoers and visitors to some of the summer’s most popular events. It’s also vital in helping the RNLI continue its lifesaving service, encouraging new supporters to sign up to make a donation.
The charity’s face-to-face fundraising team is looking for people to join our lifesaving team in Ramsgate and Margate. Fundraisers receive full, high-quality training and competitive rates of pay, whilst also developing valuable professional and personal skills.
This year, the lifesaving charity is looking to recruit around 200 face-to-face fundraisers across the UK, with part-time, full-time, seasonal and year-round opportunities available.
Luke Curry, Face-to-Face Fundraising Manager for East Sussex and Kent, said: ‘Being a Face-to-Face fundraiser is a vital role in supporting the RNLI’s lifesaving work. The role is very flexible and offers the chance to work in some stunning coastal locations. If you’re friendly, energetic and able to talk to anyone, and interested in helping to share safety advice with thousands of beach visitors every summer, it could be the role for you’.
RNLI face-to-face fundraising vacancies are now available across the UK and Ireland with a range of hours from part- to full-time. To apply or find out more, visit rnli.org/FundraiserJobs
A Titanic Journey with Bob Pryor at St George’s Church
Saturday 5th April– 2pm til 4pm
St George’s Church, Church Hill, Ramsgate, CT11 8RA
Talk/ Film /Q&A
Refreshments will be served.
Ramsgate historian Bob Pryor presents ‘My life with Titanic.’ Bob invites us to join him on his journey that ‘started with some old yellow newspapers, travelled via Titanic survivors, onto founding one of the world’s largest Titanic societies.
Bob says: “Come with me on my journey. But I warn you Titanic a powerful mistress.”
Before the event starts our usual Community Soup lunch will be available at the church from 12 noon til 2pm. Hot drinks and cake will be served during the interval before the Q&A.
Proceeds from the event will go towards our urgent ‘Keep the Lights on’ fund at St George’s.
Tickets are £5 in advance and £7 on the door.
Book tickets on St George’s website – https://bit.ly/41jz9DT
Everyday Plastic
Community leaders have taken steps to tackle single-use plastic during Ramadan following a conference held at the House of Lords.
The Plastic Free Ramadan initiative works with representatives from mosques across the country to find sustainable ways to serve food and drink while breaking fast – with the potential to save over 500 tonnes of waste each year.
Mosques in the South East and across the country have since responded to the campaign. Action includes installing water fountains and reusable items, along with educating the community to reinforce the importance of reducing plastic waste.
Daniel Webb, founder of Everyday Plastic, a social enterprise based in Margate which tackles the plastic problem, said: “It was a privilege to be invited to Plastic Free Ramadan event and to take the opportunity to listen and learn more about the importance and potential of community action during such a reflective time.
“I was inspired by the determination of the PAP team and participants to encourage their mosques to use Ramadan as a moment to consider their plastic footprint”
The scheme was launched by Projects Against Plastic (PAP) , a charity tackling single-use plastic in the hospitality sector, back in 2019.
Since then, the UK government has announced new far-reaching single-use plastic bans.
And PAP has worked in partnership with the House of Lords and Bristol Muslim Strategic Leadership Group (BMSLG), to raise awareness and offer practical solutions.
PAP charity founder Naseem Talukdar said: “This has been an opportunity to unite communities, promote sustainable practices and take action which will lead to positive change.”
He said: “If everyone gets involved, we could save around a tonne of waste per mosque. This would benefit those communities directly and the country in general.”
The Plastic Free Ramadan event took place on Tuesday, February 11.
For more information about the scheme and to get involved, visit pap.org.uk
Vigil
A Vigil to celebrate the resistance of LGBTQ+ communities in the current climate with particular focus on protesting the attacks on Trans rights takes place this month.
The event is on March 15, 3pm-5pm, at the King’s Steps, Margate seafront.
All allies welcome.
East Kent Apprenticeship Awards
The East Kent Apprenticeship Awards (EKAA) is excited to announce Port of Dover as the headline sponsor for the prestigious 2025 awards. Returning for its seventh year, the awards will take place at The Yarrow in Broadstairs on Thursday 19th June, where finalists will be celebrated at a gala dinner, recognising the outstanding achievements of apprentices and apprenticeship programs across East Kent.
The new headline sponsor, Port of Dover is one of the busiest ferry ports in Europe and currently has 14 apprentices, 3 of whom are on an upskill programme.
Kimberly-Clark Corporation will be the official EKAA 2025 Dinner Sponsor.
The awards are now open for nominations and are open to all apprentices, businesses, and public sector organisations based across Ashford, Canterbury, Dover, Folkestone & Hythe, Swale, and Thanet. The 2025 awards will recognise outstanding achievements across several categories, including Construction, Business and Management, Hair and Beauty, and the East Kent Apprentice Champion of the Year. Entries must be submitted by Friday 18th April 2025, to be considered.
Following the nomination process, a panel of judges will carefully select the finalists and winners, who will be invited to the gala dinner in June to celebrate their success.
To make your 2025 nomination visit https://www.eka-awards.co.uk/
Funding for All
Funding for All invites you, and all the inspiring voluntary sector organisations* working to support communities in the district of Thanet, to our free Fundraising Training Day on Thursday 13 March 2025, 10am-1.45pmconveniently online via Zoom.
The session forms part of Thanet District Council’s Community Champions Programme and we are thrilled to be partnering with the Council to provide this opportunity for groups to access a day packed with fundraising support! Can’t make the whole day? No problem, join us when you can!
We’ll be covering the key topics and issues impacting the sector right now with top tips and insider knowledge from industry experts.
Schedule
10am: What’s Going On? Current funding trends, opportunities and challenges with a panel discussion on the opportunities and challenges
10.50am: Workshop Session A: A choice of workshops which will include training and the opportunities for questions on:
- Building Budgets and Keeping Track: What does a funder need to see?
- Income Sources for Registered Charities (excluding Grants and Trusts)
- How to Source Funding Opportunities from Trusts and Foundations
12pm: Working Lunch with Themed Break-out Rooms: An opportunity to network with other groups working in compatible areas. Themes will include: youth; environmental; sport; families and parenting; heritage
12.20pm: Workshop Session B: A choice of workshops which will include training and the opportunities for questions on:
- Income Generation for CICs
- Community Fundraising and Engagement
- Virtual Fundraising Events: How to make the most of this additional source of funding
1.20pm: Closing Panel Discussion
1.45pm: End
More information and FREE registration via our website.
Southeastern funding
Southeastern is providing a £380,000 boost to community projects as part of its Customer & Community Improvement Fund (CCIF), reinforcing its commitment to supporting the people and places it serves.
Grants of up to £50,000 have been awarded to 11 charities, organisations, and community groups across Kent, Sussex and south-east London.
The funding will support a diverse range of initiatives, from specialist training to help disabled adults travel independently to trauma-informed support for domestic abuse survivors and mentoring programmes for young people at risk.
Now in its second year, the CCIF was established to help projects that deliver social value, reduce inequality, and ensure the railway plays a meaningful role in local communities.
The new funding follows the launch of Southeastern’s Social Mobility Action Plan, which highlights the role the rail industry can play in boosting inclusion and opportunities for all.
Organisations receiving funding include:
Safe Routes: Partnering for Prevention – Missing People
This project addresses missing persons, particularly those at risk of harm. It includes staff training, awareness campaigns, and free travel solutions to help missing individuals return home safely. The initiative focuses on preventing disappearances and providing crisis support at train stations.
Safe Families South East – Safe Families UK
Aims to reduce loneliness and social isolation in East Sussex and Kent by connecting families with local community groups and volunteers. The project also seeks to reduce the need for mental health support at train stations and promote community resilience.
Making Connections – Involve Kent
Supports autistic children and young people (CYP) aged 9-18 through inclusive, creative activities. It offers travel training workshops to help CYP navigate public transport, fostering independence and social inclusion.
Disabled Access Trips Training and Stories – Touchbase Care
This project offers travel independence training for disabled adults through community days out. It also includes a documentary film-making project highlighting the experiences of disabled people using the railway system.
Prospects – Refocus Project Ltd
Targets low-income and marginalized families, providing mentoring, vocational skills training, and support services for mental health. It aims to engage young people in structured activities and job training during school holidays.
Youth Arts Wellbeing and Community Joy – Gravesham Network Development CIC
Focuses on mental health and well-being through arts and singing workshops for young people with additional needs. The project will culminate in performances and art displays at train stations, bringing communities together.
Early Childhood Development – Small Steps Big Imprints! – Children & Families
A holistic approach to improving the health and well-being of children in deprived areas. The project addresses early intervention, aiming to reduce long-term social and economic inequalities.
Specialist Counselling for Survivors of Domestic Abuse – Rising Sun Domestic Violence and Abuse Service
Provides specialized trauma-informed counselling for women who have experienced domestic abuse, helping them recover emotionally and mentally. The service includes extended sessions beyond the usual 12 to support deeper healing.
Unity Rail Safe Program (U.R.S) – Youth Unity CIC
A mentoring program for young people at risk of criminal activity or anti-social behaviour. The project focuses on supporting and guiding at-risk youth through targeted mentoring and rail network partnerships to foster positive life changes.
Future Pathways – Sports Connect Community CIC
A three-tiered community engagement initiative using sport to reduce anti-social behaviour, promote well-being, and offer young people opportunities for skills development and employment. The project also aims to build positive community relationships.
Bemix Café – Bemix
This project will set up a café to provide training and employment opportunities for people with learning difficulties and/or autism. The café will serve as a social enterprise, creating inclusive employment while offering takeaway food and drinks at a Southeastern station.
“Vigil” sounds a bundle of laughs.