Voluntary Action spreads wings
VOLUNTARY Action Maid- stone now officially covers the Malling area, after members agreed to make changes to its articles of association. Those present at the annual meeting voted overwhelmingly in favour of expanding the charity’s remit to cover the wider area around the county town. The changes formalise an ap- proach already taken by VAM to provide some services out- side the Maidstone borough when needed. For example, the Maidstone and Malling Carers Project has been doing so since it was established 19 years ago. More recently, a volunteer cen- tre has been established at the St James Centre in East Malling onWednesdays. The meeting, held at VAM’s Marsham Street headquarters, received an update on a num- ber of the charity’s projects: Council for Voluntary Serv- ice – Project manager Natalie Smith said CVS had provided 125 one-to-one advice sessions to voluntary and community associations. It had supported schemes such as a Kent wood- land employment project, offer- ing coppicing experience to people in the North Downs. Volunteer Centre – VAM’s shop in the Town Hall is be- coming well established, with an average of 28 daily visits for services that include IT support and hearing aid help. A team of seven volunteers man the desk and spread the word about vol- unteering, with a total of 744 volunteers recruited in the space of a year, with a success- ful placement rate of 40% – one of the highest rates in the county. The survey was rated as excellent by 92% of volunteers responding to a survey. V Team – The project’s remit has been to provide work in the community for volunteers with extra support needs and offer- ing help in the homes and gar- dens of the elderly and disabled. In the previous year volunteers became involved in other activities, such as run- ning a marathon to raise funds and helping out at Mote Park. Maidstone andMalling Car- ers – The project provides in-
Panels agreed ALUN Scott has been given consent to install a ground- mounted array of 16 solar photovoltaic panels on land at OrchardOast, YaldingHill, Yalding.
Maidstone Council’s deci-
sion notice emphasised that the permission does not per- mit the use of land on or around the site of the pro- posed solar panels as a resi- dential garden.
6 South Volunteers, staff and trustees who help out at VAMinMaidstone
formation and support for car- ers, with 2,010 now registered, including 335 new carers. The project assisted carers in claim- ing a total of £516,395 in bene- fits. A support group had started for people affected by somebody else’s substance misuse. Brighter Futures – The proj- ect for older people runs the successful older persons’ forum, which meets quarterly. There are a total of 124 volun- teers supporting 674 older peo- ple. A total of 1,946 places had
been filled at exercise classes in Maidstone, Coxheath and Sta- plehurst; 160 older people were being befriended by volunteers and 216 isolated older people were called by telephone be- frienders every week. Platform – Gives mental health service users the chance to become involved with the planning, delivery andmonitor- ing of local services. The atten- dance rate for meetings rarely falls below 80%. Transport – The self-funding scheme sees drivers using their
Funding blow to ‘Gateway makers’
own vehicles to take those un- able to use public facilities – through age, illness or disabil- ity – to a range of places. It has been running for 35 years but continues to expand, with driver numbers increased to 45 and 850 different clients now being helped. There has been a particularly high demand from people needing transport to the Tunbridge Wells Hospital in Pembury. Drivers are known for going be- yond the call of duty, even going shopping on behalf of clients. Kent Event Team – The part- nership project with KCC sup- ports one-off sport, leisure and cultural events held for com- munity benefit. Over 400 KET volunteers helped the smooth running of the Olympic torch relay over four days in July. KET also supported events in- cluding BBC Antiques Road- show, Modern Pentathlon European Championships in Gillingham and various Hal- loween events. There are 2,132 registered volunteers.
A VOLUNTARY project compared to the GamesMak- ers at the 2012 Olympics faces closure unless fund- ing can be found to keep it going. Since September 2010, 53 volunteers have been
on hand tomeet and greet members of the public at Maidstone Gateway in King Street. Gateway volunteers, run by Voluntary Action Maid-
stone, has also helped 22 volunteers progress into training, employment or mainstream volunteering. But the project’s National Lottery funding, which amountedto about£60,000this year, finishes inFeb- ruary. Kemi Adams (33), of Tonbridge Road, Maidstone,
was a Gateway volunteer but left to start a full time job, only to return againwhen her hours reduced. “Being a volunteer herewas one of the best deci-
sions I have made,” she said. “When you see elderly people arrive you can chat to them and they are so happy to see you. “Puttingonthis purple topmakesmyday. It has im-
proved my confidence so much. It is not just about meeting and greeting people, this prepares you for the next stage of your life.” Michelle Evans (39), of Boxley Road, Maidstone,
said: “Iwas going through personal difficulties and it has helpedmerebuildmy confidence. “I go there a couple of hours a week and I get so
Volunteers Michelle Adams, Rachel Coppins and Kemi Adams
much help and advice. It is really worthwhile and I hope it carries on.” Both volunteers hailed the impact of projectworker
Rachel Coppins, who said: “This has really brought volunteers into the community in a similarway to the Gamesmakers. We also help volunteers learn first aid, customer care, sign language and get them in- volved in educational classes.” Volunteers all have some form of extra support
need, find other volunteering difficult to access or could be feeling isolated or socially excluded. Charlotte Osborn-Forde, chief executive of VAM,
said: “It’s vital we find the funding to keep this proj- ect going –we knowhowmuch it has improved peo- ple’s lives in Maidstone. We have approached the lottery again for funding and currently await their re- sponse.”
Home wins design accolade
HILL House, off Lenham Road, Ul- combe, has been awarded first place in theminor residential cate- goryKent DesignandDevelopment Awards. It was the second major award
for the £822,000 home, whichwas built by Qube Special Projects, and won a coveted RIBA award earlier this year. It is primarily timber-built and, by
using recycledexcavationmaterial, has a lowcarbon footprint.
Visit Downs Mail’s website —
downsmail.co.uk
Garden allowed JONATHAN Watson was given retrospective permission to convert agricultural land into a garden plot in Marden. His previous proposal for 21 Roundel Way was refused in July, as it was contrary to coun- cil policy preventing develop- ment on the open countryside. But inApril this year, a prece-
dent was set by neighbours and MrWatson’s resubmitted appli- cation was accepted by Maid- stone Council.
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