NEWS
FLAGSHIP BALL RAISES £ 50K FOR CHARITY
KENT TO BENEFIT FROM LOTTERY FUNDED PROJECT SUPPORTING PEOPLE WITH HEARING LOSS
Vital information support services , run by charity Action on Hearing Loss , will be expanded across three areas of the UK including the South East of England in a bid to tackle social isolation .
Nearly 300,000 are living with hearing loss in Kent . The vast majority of these are aged over 50 , with the condition more likely to occur the older people get . Those who leave the condition unmanaged face barriers to communication , making it more likely that they withdraw from social situations and become isolated .
A charity ball held in the magnificent surroundings of Kensington Palace raised £ 50,000 for Demelza Hospice Care for Children . More than 200 guests enjoyed a champagne reception on the terrace of The Orangery at the Palace , home to many past and present members of the British Royal Family , where they were able to admire the spectacular palace gardens before dining on a sumptuous three-course meal .
Demelza ’ s chairman Sarah Phillips welcomed guests to the flower-laden Orangery and gave an update on the work of the hospice , which cares for some 500 children and their families in South East London , East Sussex and Kent .
Sarah Kemsley , Demelza ’ s major donor manager , said : “ Our guests really appreciated the surroundings for this year ’ s ball . For many , it was the first time they had been to Kensington Palace .”
Among the auction prizes were an overnight stay in the officers ’ mess , followed by a day training with the Royal Marines at their Commando Training Centre near Exmouth , and a stunning Stevenson Brothers ’ rocking horse signed by Joanna Lumley , along with mementoes from her recent Ab Fab film .
To challenge these issues the charity has received £ 972,681 from the Big Lottery Fund to expand its Hear to Inform and Connect project in three areas across the UK , including the South East of England . This will be delivered by specialist staff and trained volunteers working within local communities in Kent .
The service will provide invaluable face-to-face support to empower and increase the number of older people who take action to manage their hearing loss . Through a mixture of information stands and talks offering advice on all aspects of hearing loss from getting hearing aids to learning how to lip-read , the project will help people be better informed and keep them connected to family , friends and the world around them .
The project is due to launch in November 2016 with funding running for three years . For more information on Hear to Inform and Connect including to register your interest as a volunteer or supporting organisation , contact Crystal Rolfe on crystal . rolfe @ hearingloss . org . uk or 020 7296 8362 .
VISIT KENT WELCOMES ITS FIRST CORPORATE INVESTOR
Visit Kent has welcomed the first member of its brand new corporate investor scheme . Leading law firm Brachers has joined the destination management organisation as a corporate investor , as part of a drive to build mutually beneficial strategic partnerships with businesses that have links to or interest in the tourism industry .
Visit Kent currently has more than 150 investors from across the tourism industry and the county ’ s local authorities . While the organisation has worked with numerous non-tourism but Kent-based business over the years , this is the first time one has joined as a full investor .
CEO of Visit Kent Sandra Matthews-Marsh MBE said : “ We are delighted to welcome Brachers as the first corporate member of our tourism family . The firm has a long history in Kent working with various visitor attractions , food producers , transport companies and local government , and we know they will offer excellent support to our tourism investors .”
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