Category Archives: Volunteering

Coastal Walk to D’Feet MND 18th June 2022

Awareness, Fun Event, Fund Raising, Volunteering

After 2 unfortunate years during which we have been unable to hold our Coastal Walk to D’Feet MND, thankfully we are now able to plan for a walk late this year. The walk will take place on 18th June.

There will be three walk options.

  1. A long walk (approx. 24 miles) Whitstable to Broadstairs.
  2. A medium length walk (approx. 11 miles) Minnis Bay to Broadstairs.
  3. A short walk (approx. 6 miles) Margate to Broadstairs.

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/walk2022 , 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/team/coastalwalk2022  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 https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/mnda-east-kent22

Should you experience any difficulties please email webmaster@mnda-eastkent.org.uk

The route is shown on the map above.

Training programs for the walks, the Walk Plan, sponsorship forms, posters and flyers can be downloaded below:

24 mile walk training programme download PDF

11 mile walk training programme download PDF

Walking Route and Plan download PDF

Sponsorship Form download

Poster download

If you are able to display a poster, we would be grateful if you could print a copy and display it.

We thank our sponsors, with whose help we are able to raise substantial sums to help people living with MND in East Kent

Chair for East Kent Group of MNDA

Volunteering

Our current chairman is standing down in September and we are seeking a volunteer to fill this role.

As Branch Chair, you will:

• Ensure continued delivery and development of our local work to support people with MND and their families

• Plan, prepare for and facilitate committee meetings
• Ensure appropriate decisions are made in a timely way when required
• Support Branch volunteers in planning and coordinating Branch activities
• Ensure Branch volunteers are aware of and follow the Association’s policies and procedures
• Induct and mentor new volunteers
• Work in partnership with staff to recruit new volunteers
• Act as an ambassador for the Association and as a host at Branch events.

This is an excellent opportunity to develop utilise your leadership skills and get involved with your local community. We are looking for someone reliable, warm and empathetic with the ability to motivate others. Leadership skills and experience of chairing meetings would be an advantage, along with good organisational and listening skills.

The group Chair will usually work for approximately 7-10 hours a week and facilitate on average 6 committee meetings a year and be involved in perhaps another dozen meetings during the year.

You’ll be inducted into the role and informed about the Association. As part of this, you will receive e-learning, face-to-face training and mentoring.

You can apply for this role here or you may contact chair@mnda-eastkent.org.uk.

MNDA Million Metres

Awareness, Campaigns, Fund Raising, Volunteering

Please support this project by visiting https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/mndamillionmetres it is one of the events we are able to continue during the pandemic.

This project began with a specific objective which is shown below in blue text, however Covid 19 has played havoc with our fund raising activities. Our fundraising is currently down in excess of £10,000 and all funds raised currently have to be available to maintain the services we provide to people living with MND in East Kent.

Since September last year I have managed to ride 910,000 of the one million metres target I committed to cycle during my 75th year to raise funds for MNDA in East Kent. It was my hope to raise 1 penny for each metre ridden. To achieve this we had planned several events to support the project. needless to say these have all been cancelled due to Covid 19.

In view of these cancellations we have reduced our target from £10,000 to £2,500. If we are able to hold any supporting events before September 26th 2020, we will reconsider our target.

Please help me reach this target Please support this project either by donating at https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/mndamillionmetres you can also see the latest updates there.

Thank you for reading and thanks for your support of the MND Association in East Kent.

Clive Hudson Group Leader MND Association East Kent

Original copy

For some time now I have been staggered at the amount of time people living with MND need to travel for various services.

This came to head for me, when I heard a member recount how he has had a round trip of 7 hours plus some 2 hours waiting times. This struck a bell with me, as I often complain about how far we need to travel from East Kent to attend MNDA meetings.

Ideally no person living with MND should travel more than 1 hour from their home for any services and wherever possible multiple services should be available on a single visit

MNDA Million Metres was born, I have committed to cycle one million metres during my 75th year to raise funds for MNDA in East Kent. I hope to raise 1 penny for each metre ridden. These funds to be used exclusively to improve services for people living with MND in East Kent. Where long journeys are necessary, ensure they are as comfortable as possible.

Since this project involves raising awareness and campaigning as well as fund raising, I expect it to take more than a single year to achieve. The concept of MNDA Million Metres will be used until the objective is achieved. In the unlikely event that we raise more funds than necessary for the project then any surplus will be used for research into a cure for MND.

Please support this project either by donating funds via JustGiving at https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/mndamillionmetres you can also see the latest updates here.

You can also join our team and raise more funds at https://www.justgiving.com/team/MNDAMillionMetres

Thank you for visiting this page, updates will be added to the JustGiving page usually each week.

National Citizenship Service Group fund raising in Thanet.

Awareness, Fun Event, Fund Raising, Thanks, Volunteering

A group of young people doing their National Citizenship service selected MNDA East Kent as their charity for a series of events which took place in Thanet from Tuesday 13th until Friday 16th August.

The reason for selection of MNDA was the death of a family member, you can see the video the group made about this here https://t.co/QYjklKXEEt?amp=1

Another member of the group also had been affected by MND, you can see the video the group made about this here

NCS Thanet Group 3 Aidan Holdford, Theo Trigwell, Jonathan Stewart-Reed, Mia Hughes, Sade Allison, Imogen Kyte, George Cox, Henry Carter Edwards, Ffion Cousins, Eve Blythe-Adam, Morgan Carey, Chardonnay Tamara, Chloe Marker and Toby Saunders

You can donate to the group on Just Giving by visiting https://t.co/ccILEJNMM4?amp=1 This group of young people hoped to raise in excess of £500, they actually achieved the astonishing sum of £1337.00. Huge thanks to every donor.

The events planned were:

Tuesday 13th August Walking Football with a cake sale at Margate Football Club, Hartsdown Road, Margate. 13.00 – 16.00. Admission was free. To play football, the donation was £1 and for 3 penalties the donation was £2. Full details can be found by visiting here https://www.instagram.com/p/B08-OltlmEh/?igshid=1dvkortoex0xq

Tuesday 13th August at 16.35 members of the NCS Group visited 107.8 Academy FM to be interviewed. Details here https://www.instagram.com/p/B053laKFlAg/?igshid=1rl585ob4lbos

Wednesday 14th August there was a live stream on Twitter, Instagram and You Tube.

Friday 16th August the group held a NEON PARTY at Newington Green Community Centre,
Marie Thomas, Princess Margaret Avenue, Ramsgate, CT12 6HX, from 16.00 – 20.00. Entry was £3.00. There was music and refreshments.

Neon Party in full swing

Huge thanks to this wonderful group of young people, who raised £1337.00 in a very short period of time. Thanks to you all and thanks to everyone who supported your efforts and to everyone who donated.

We Care Campaign wins national campaigning award from UK Parliament

Awareness, Campaigns, Carer's Corner, Volunteering

On Tuesday 2nd April, Katy Styles and the We Care Campaign team arrived at Westminster to collect the UK Parliament’s Digital Campaigner of the Year.

2019 marks the second year of the Your UK Parliament awards. The winning entries were chosen by the Speaker of the House of Commons, and a judging panel of MPs, Peers and independent judges. All of the winners attended an awards ceremony hosted by the Speaker in the Houses of Parliament.

The Rt. Hon John Bercow, Speaker of the House of Commons, said:

Katy Styles ©UK Parliament_Mark Duffy

“There is nothing more inspiring than hearing how these winners used so many innovative ways to get people more involved and connected with UK Parliament. This year’s awards have shone a light on this amazing work – and will hopefully encourage others to join the campaign.”

We Care Campaign is an ongoing campaign to get a better deal for the UK’s 7 million unpaid carers. It is led by carers, for carers. Carers are a hard to reach group as they often feel too tired, too isolated and disempowered to take part in campaigning.

We Care undertook 3 digital activities. Katy ran an e-petition calling on government to publish a Carers’ Strategy. The petition obtained 2,124 signatures. We Care also encouraged unpaid carers to take part in a twitter #AsktheMinister question session to the Minister for Social Care, Caroline Dinenage. We then used our own @WeAreCarers account to host Barbara Keeley, the Shadow Minister, enabling carers to ask more than one politician the same questions during Carers Week. We Care organised a Valuing Carers digital event where decision makers, carers and the cared for posted messages of support for unpaid carers during Carers Rights Day.

We Care Team with Mr Speaker Bercow ©UK Parliament_Mark Duffy

We Care Campaign’s activities made a massive difference and impact on our target audience of unpaid carers who took part in our campaign actions. Individual carers took part in digital actions which helped organise a real grassroots campaign. We Care worked hard to utilise every contact made, by replying to every single contact individually. An unpaid carer speaking of one of our digital takeovers said, “Normally we get a bit of cake and bunting for Carers Rights Day. This is so much more than that. It’s not been done before.” We equally made an impact on individual decision makers, within parliament and beyond and have built a strong network, enabling us to reach more carers in 2019.

Katy Styles who led the campaign said,

“We Care want to thank you so much for a special day in Parliament. Engaging with Parliament at this time in a positive way has never been so important and we have loved playing a small part in this.” fff

Support Meeting 9th February 2019

Awareness, Campaigns, General Support, Research, Volunteering

The local association held its regular support meeting on Saturday 9th February at Thanington Neighbourhood Resource Centre Canterbury.

The meeting was well attended by those living with MND, their carers, association volunteers and friends.

We learnt about the role of Association Visitors, how they can support people with MND and their carers/families. 

We also learnt about the role of a trustee of the national MND association. How it was important to support research via funding and to constantly highlight to MPs and the wider media the difficulties and frustration that people with MND have in accessing benefits.

Clive, the local association chairmen gave an update on monies recently raised. He also spoke about how the local association spent its funds.

One of the issues discussed was how to access priority services with the major utility companies, such as being able to have an emergency electrical supply during power cuts so that ventilators will still work.

A variety of  homemade cakes were enjoyed by those present.

3rd Coastal Walk to D’Feet MND May 18th 2019

Awareness, Fun Event, Fund Raising, Thanks, Volunteering

We will be holding our third Coastal Walk to D’Feet MND on Saturday May 18th 2019.There will be three walks, the first  from Whitstable to Broadstairs , the second  from Birchington Minnis Bay to Broadstairs and the third from Margate to Broadstairs.  All will end with refreshments at The Wrotham Arms, Ramsgate Road, Broadstairs.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/walk2019 , 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/coastalwalk2019/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 PageShould you experience any difficulties please email webmaster@mnda-eastkent.org.uk

The route is shown on the map above. Training programs for the walks, the Walk Plan, sponsorship forms, posters and flyers can be downloaded below:

24 mile walk training programme download PDF

11 mile walk training programme download PDF

Walking Route and Plan download PDF

Sponsorship Form download

Poster download

We  thank our sponsors, with whose help we are able to raise substantial sums to help people living with MND in East Kent.

 

Coastal Marathon Walk to D’Feet MND – May 20th 2018

Awareness, Fun Event, Fund Raising, Volunteering

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

Should you experience any difficulties please email webmaster@mnda-eastkent.org.uk

The route is shown on the map above.

Training programs for the walks, the Walk Plan, sponsorship forms, posters and flyers can be downloaded below:

25 mile walk training programme download PDF

13 mile walk training programme download PDF

Walking Route and Plan download PDF

Sponsorship Form download

Poster download

Flyer download

We thank our sponsors, with whose help we are able to raise substantial sums to help people living with MND in East Kent

 

KM Charity Forum

Awareness, Campaigns, Thanks, Volunteering

Mark Styles receiving The Gold Charity Mark from Barbara Martin

The Kent Messenger Charity Group held their annual forum at The Mercure Great Danes Hotel in Maidstone on Friday 13th October.  The forum recognised work of charities and schools for their hard work and dedication.

Mark styles attended from The East Kent Group of MNDA, who are  the Kentish Gazette Charity of the Year 2017.

Mark Styles collecting an award on behalf of Clive Hudson from Barbara Martin

MNDA East Kent was awarded A Gold Charity Mark Award, which was received on our behalf by Mark Styles.

Mark also collected a Brain and Brawn Triathlon Award on behalf of Clive Hudson, who for health reasons was unable to be present on the day.

Mnda East Kent would like to thank KM Charity Team and the KM Group for all the support we have received during 2017 as Kentish Gazette Charity of the Year.

Help us to help others!

Volunteering

If your family or your friends have ever been affected by motor neurone disease, please help us to help other families living with this terrible disease.

We need people willing to help in many ways, from joining our committee planning for the future, running fund raising events, helping with social media, helping with our web site or helping out at our events.

Whatever your skills we can you them.  Please contact Clive Hudson by email  chair@mnda-eastkent.org.uk or if you live outside of East Kent please contact Claire Tuckett by email claire.tuckett@mndassociation.org

Thanks you for reading this request and we hope to hear from you soon.