The Wealden Business Group are hosting a Black Tie Dinner Dance and Auction at the Little Silver Country Hotel, Ashford Road, Tenterden on Saturday 17th March.
The evening will start at 6.45 with a fizz reception and the evening will continue until carriages at 01.00.
Proceeds from the event will go to MNDA in East Kent to support people living with MND and to contribute towards research for cure for this currently incurable disease.
Some time ago, when I started to look around for some voluntary work I decided to become involved with MNDA. Initially I joined the committee in East Kent and then trained as an Association Visitor (AV)…starting in 2016. Talking to people I have met since becoming involved with MNDA East Kent I have been struck by the resilience and tenacity that many of these folks show…some are people living with the disease, others are relatives, carers or friends of theirs. A common factor shown by so many is that of supporting each other in the face of this vile and debilitating disease.
The camaraderie I have witnessed first hand is incredible, many form friendships…co-supporting each other and sharing ideas and treatment options. Some have set up fund raising initiatives, and I am aware that quite a number use the network of social media to keep in touch, some are happy to have an Association Visitor offering friendship and support, and some like to attend meetings…networking with others facing similar difficulties. It’s so rewarding to work together with these people and I really enjoy doing so.
One of the many challenges facing PwMND is the gradual reduction of their own physical abilities meaning that activities which were easy for them previously become difficult or indeed impossible. It means that travelling options are very restricted, they may no longer be able to drive, and public transport options may well be very limited. Many of the support activities in East Kent are centred around Canterbury or Ashford…. which means an almost impossible trek for many living in the rural or coastal areas of Kent, such as Thanet. Several voiced their disappointment at not being able to attend these meetings without supreme efforts by themselves and their carers.
Lynn Hudson, Christine Rawlins, John Rawlins, John Sturges, Clive Hudson, Philomena Lawrence.
Upon discussion about these difficulties with the MNDA East Kent committee we decided to offer for a trial period, of three months, a Thanet based support group, meeting once a month in the afternoon in a suitably placed venue, and one which offered many appropriate facilities.
Several options for a venue were explored. We decided on The Botany Bay Hotel in Kingsgate which is ideally situated for all of Thanet, with plenty of parking, access and facilities are excellent. The manager and staff are extremely helpful and willing to accommodate us. Our trial period starting in September 2017, on the last Wednesday of each month from 3pm until 5pm, and we call it Tea by the Sea!!
We contacted many people by telephone and email to invite them to come. We offer tea or coffee with cake or scones, and have been delighted at the response. Each meeting has been attended by PwMND, families and carers. These are small meetings, but so friendly, everyone getting to know each other, sharing experiences, frustrations and coping mechanisms in a spirit of camaraderie and friendship. The hotel has allowed us to use a small private function room for no extra charge, all we pay for is the tea and cake consumed. The first meeting was attended by eight people, subsequently the attendance varied from 16 down to four (the weather was typically coastal atrocious that day!!)
The trial period of three months ended in November, but by popular request was extended to include December and will now continue into 2018, on the last Wednesday of each month. The next dates are as follows:
Wed July 25th and Wed August 29th all between 3 and 5pm.
Botany Bay Hotel, Marine Drive, Kingsgate, Broadstairs, Kent CT10 3LG
Please make a note of these dates. You can be sure of a warm welcome, and the refreshments are pretty good too!!
TREBLE WARDS’ AMERICAN SUPPER
(Disco & raffle in aid of MND association, Bring your own food & drink/alcohol)
SATURDAY FEBRUARY 24TH
TEMPLE EWELL VILLAGE HALL
7.30-11.30PM
Tickets £5, (buy in advance from Emma or Lorraine on Treble Ward, first come first served)
Note Treble Ward is a Ward at The Kent and Canterbury Hospital
We will be holding our second coastal marathon walk on Sunday May 20th 2018.
A 25 mile walk, will take place from Whitstable to Broadstairs via King George V Park, a 13 mile walk, from Minnis Bay to Broadstairs via King George V Park. A shorter walk of 5 miles, is also planned from Botany Bay Hotel, Kingsgate to Broadstairs via King George V Park.
There is an entrance fee of £10 which includes a tee shirt (collected on the day), training program, detailed plan of walk, and full insurance. Only registered walkers can walk and they must wear the tee shirt for insurance purposes.
Each walker is requested to find sponsorship to support people living with MND in East Kent. There is no obligation to raise sponsorship but all support is greatly appreciated.
To register for the walk, please visit www.mnda-eastkent.org.uk/walk2018 , complete the form, then follow the link to Just Giving to pay your entry fee of £10.
If you intend to set up your own JustGiving page, we are happy for you to do so. Please select MNDA as your charity and then please mention MNDA East Kent in your story to ensure that funds you raise are used for people living with MND in East Kent. Once you have set up your JustGiving Page, please link it to our team at www.justgiving.com/teams/coastalwalk2018/join so we can keep track of the total funds we raise.
If you want to make a donation in support but not register please visit our Donations Page
We had a good attendance at our latest monthly support meeting which was held at Thanington, Canterbury on October 14th.
We heard a presentation from Dawn Cockburn and Julie Murby of the Harmony Therapy Trust. A charity who provide NHS approved therapies to patients living with life limiting or debilitating diseases, including MND.
Dawn Cockburn addressing the meeting
We heard that Harmony Therapy Trust is run entirely by volunteers. The charity is based on the Isle of Sheppey however, they have expanded their services to cover the whole of Kent.
The charity can provide up to 6 sessions of therapy to persons who would be expected to benefit from the therapy. Therapies are only provided following medical referral.
Harmony Therapy Trust can provide a range of therapies including acupressure, aromatherapy, counselling/talking therapies, healing/reiki, holistic massage, hypnotherapy, ibx nail treatment, indian head massage, osteopathy, reflexology and reflexology lymphatic drainage.
We would like to thank Dawn and Julie for an excellent presentation. You can find out all about the Harmony Therapy Trust at their website http://theharmonytherapytrust.org.uk
During the meeting we were able to exhibit the KM Charity Mark earned by MNDA East Kent for 2017. The Charity Mark was presented to 50 local charities who have made a substantial contribution in Kent.
Clive Hudson was also awarded a Brain and Brawn Triathlon Award for participating in a minimum of 3 KM Charity Team events in 2017, raising money for the MNDA in East Kent.
Our first Tea by The Sea was held at the Botany Bay Hotel, Kingsgate, Thanet on Wednesday 28th September.
We had six people present 3 of whom had not previously attended one of our meetings.
We enjoyed a good chat with tea and scones and all present were agreed the idea of a local meeting held monthly was a good idea, especially as they felt unable to travel to other meeting held further away in Kent.
Lynn Hudson, Christine Rawlins, John Rawlins, John Sturges, Clive Hudson, Philomena Lawrence.
Tea by The Sea is on the last Wednesday of October (25th) and November (29th) at the Botany Bay Hotel, Kingsgate at 3pm. At the November meeting we will review our plans for 2018.
We were invited on Sunday August 6th to visit Strode Park Foundation for tea and a walk around parts of the house and the grounds.
There were 12 of us attending and we enjoyed a fabulous tea of sandwiches, scones with jam and clotted cream and a selection of cakes.
John Cotterill addressing our group.
The sandwiches, scones and cakes were prepared at Strode Park by ??, all were beautifully fresh and delicious. The tea was served by Anthony who thoroughly spoiled us.
We were shown around the grounds, Daren found a lake with a no fishing sign, which indicated to him there would be something worth catching.
The open air auditorium is a fantastic facility with every part accessible by wheelchair, we were invited to look at the website Strodeparkfoundation.co.uk to find out about concerts and booking them if we wished.
We were shown around non residential parts of the house, including the gymnasium and the hydro therapy pool, which is available to people living with disabilities including MND.
Daren looked up to catch this image of our group – most of us missed it!!
Huge thanks to John Cotterill who showed us around and to ?? and Anthony for making the tea so special.
We have been invited to have tea at Strode Park at some future date and we are welcome to attend any public events held at the Foundation.
A coastal walk was held on 20th May to raise funds for MNDA in East Kent.
The walk started in Whitstable at 07.00 with 21 walkers turning up to register for the 25 mile walk. These walkers walked some 12miles along the beautiful East Kent coast in glorious sunshine until they reached Minnis Bay, Birchington.
Starters from Whitstable
The walkers were joined at Minnis Bay by another 46 walkers registered to walk 13 miles, all 67 walkers then set out to walk to Ramsgate, along the Kent Coast, through Westgate and Margate to The Botany Bay Hotel.
Some starters from Minnis Bay
At The Botany Bay Hotel the walkers were joined by the final group of 16 walkers registered to walk 5 miles to Ramsgate. All 83 walkers now walked though Broadstairs and on into Ramsgate, where the walk ended at the Churchill Tavern, who laid on light refreshments for walkers and supporters.
All walkers who finished were given a medallion for completing the inaugural Coastal Walk To D’Feet MND. Adrian Powell Made a short speech to the walkers thanking them for making the day very enjoyable and for raising funds for MNDA in East Kent.
We did it!!
The walk was conceived by Cath Miller, who formed a committee of Steve Miller, Adrian Powell, Lynne Paine, Dawn Smith, Ayesha Powell and Clive Hudson. The committee planned the whole event and executed the walk with the help of several volunteers who manned registration, acted as marshals, collected cash and put up signage.
Huge thanks to all the walkers and their sponsors, who enable us to raise £9,064.88 including gift aid.
Special thanks to
Dawn Smith for sponsoring the medals.
Ian Pettman – Premier Signs for sponsoring the signage.
Diary Date for 2018 – the Coastal Walk to D’Feet MND will take place on Sunday May 20th.
East Kent MNDA Group entered the KM Charity Group Dragon Boat Race for the first time on July 2nd this year.
Our team was made up entirely from one family who had been affected by MND, supported by members of another family affected by MND.
Our Dragon Boat Crew
The racing took place in Mote Park Maidstone and we arrived for our first race, registered only to find we had missed the cut off time, so rather than 3 races. we only raced twice.
They are off!!!
Though none of our team had ever rowed a dragon boat, we managed to win both our races, however we were not fast enough to be in the final 6 teams, for the race off to be winner of the day.
First to the post
We thoroughly enjoyed the day and the team is determined to race in 2018 and make a serious attempt to win. Huge thanks to our rowers and everyone who turned up to support. Thanks to KM Charity Group for organising this fabulous event.
